The Nome nugget., 1919-12-06
NOME THREATENED WITH
 COAL SHORTAGE

by the coal baronS In the East Fad that the supply of coal provided for Nome this winter would be ample to carry the community through the closed season, it has developed during the present week that there is a de- cidedly serious prospect that the sup ply carried by the Alaska Lightera.e and Commercial Company. on which Nome is entirely dependant for ruel supplies. will probably be barely snf- ficient to last until the return of warm weather.
 This does not mean, however. that there is danger of anyone freezing to death because of inability to secure fuel; but it, nevertheless. implies t,at, in order to avoid a possible use of oil fuel as q substitute for coal many fuel consumers will find themselves compelled to adopt strict conservation measures.
 Although the winter p,.ricd is scarcely more than started. "nly about 100 tons of soft coai retnainsi in the yards of the coal company tn lFo- vide for the wants of those who lave not yet laid in their winter coal sup ply. according to an announcement made to Mayor Holt and other 'ic- ials by H. G. Gabrielson winter ai nt of the, Alaska Lighterage Comp ny. during the first days of the w',i thc ss.pc ti.,a ssr.t .,l- -.7a that he was in receipt ot a telegram from the Seattle headqnar ters of the company instructins lim to consult the City. Red Cross and Chamber of Commerce officials and endeavor to secure the appointment of q committee with q view {" selling the entire remaining soft coal sup ply of the company to the city or other civic organization by which it might be distributed to those needing 1t under conditions which would tend to make the supply go around. Tire price designated in the telegram was $36 per ton.
 MT. Gabrelson immediately laid the matter before Mayor Holt. A. E. Miller of the Red Cross and w. J. Rowe, president of the Nor,e Chain- Der of Commerce, at the same tire requesting them to act as q commit, zee to investigate the situation and take steps to comply with the suggestions contained in the telegram. MT. Gabrielson- explained the unexpected contretemps in the statement that thc supply of coal on hand at the close of navigation was not greatly infor- for to that held last year. In adj tion to the small amount on hand from earlier shipments. something over $50 tons was landed by the Vie toria on her last trip and was believed to he sufficient to last the community through the winter. Unusually heavy sales during November, how ever, speedily reduced the quantity on hand to the present dimensions. On discovering that only about one hundred tons remained in the yards
 Mir Gabrielson advised the Seattle office and in reply received the in structions quoted above. Although the telegram referred to makes no ex- plantations regarding the proposal to turn the remainder of the coal over to the city or some other organization, the underlying reason is to be found in the fact that the company. being a public utility corporation, is not in a position to distribute the coal as effectively as the city or some other organization. Although able to limit to some extent the quantity sold to one individual or company at one time in an emergency. the company cannot prevent a series of individual sales which might have the effect of plac- ing a large portion. or even all of the small supply on hand. in the posses : sion of speculators who would then be in a position to advance the price ,o any degree avarice might dictate. On the other hand the city, for example. may purchase the coal and distribute 1t to the best advantage; limiting the quantity sold to an individual in any manner desired. By ascertainins the needs of the purchaser beforehand, the coal can be distributed where
 needed without prospect of some ont