Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-12-09
ESTIMATES
OF COAL IN
VARY
Fuel Administration Replies to
Charge Of City Commissioner
That There Are 1000 Cars in
The Railroad Yards.
600 ON ONE TRACK, T
CITY OFFICIAL SAYS
Committee Reports Total Of
0nly 470 Cars IN City-Suf-
fering Increases and Number
Of Unemployed Grows.

Of Unemployed Grows.
The claim of the terminal coal
committee yesterday, that continued
depletion of coal supplies here is
adding to the difficulties of the situ-
alton, was challenged by City Com
missioner Butler, who made a public
statement that there are now more
than 1000 cars of commercial and
steam coal on tracks in this city,
and that the closing of industries by
the coal committee cannot be recon-
ciled.
At late hour last night the clint
mittee made, answer to the charges
of Commissioner Butler, having
spent the day in an investigation and
arranging exact figures to disprove
his contention.
Committees Statement.
Omaha has enough coal on hand
to supply its industries under normal
conditions for four days, or under
the restrictions conditions for six
days." according to the statement
given out.
Normal requirements of bitum-
inous coal for Omaha and Council
Bluffs are $3.50 tons, or 120 cars
daily" continues the statement.
"The fuel restrictions have reduced
the daily requirements here to $500
tons. or 80 cars. The entire amount
of bituminous coal on cars today in
Omaha is 20,724 tonsrlor 470 cars.
While this may look big, it must be
considered in the light 6f the re-
quirements."
Advices from w. NJ. Jeffers, chair
man of the fuel committee, stated
that all the coal which was mined in
Wyoming mines last week had left
the mines by Saturday night, SO that
at the present time not ton Of coal
left. All had been shipped by Sunday
morning.
Sheridan Mines Shut Down.
"Today, the Sheridan mines were
shut down hnd the Rock Springs
mines were only running IS per cent
of their normal.
"The blizzard, which is raging
over all the south and southwest
makes vastly greater draft on the
coal for the moving of trains.
The committee spent consider
able time today trying to procure
some coal, but all their efforts were
of no avail" saws the statement.
"The railroads claim that they are
not holding any more than is abso-
lutely necessary for the movement
of their passenger and freight trains
carrying live stock and perishable
goods.
Even If the strike is settled Tues
day it will be at least Christmas be-
fore enough coal will arrive in Oma
ha to enable the factories and stores
of the city to resume their normal
conditions"
Mayor Smith yesterday" contra
dicted Governor McKe1vie, by assert
ing that there are plenty OF railroad
cars available if the coal can be
obtained.
fuftneI NOHSCIVduOH.
The coal committee insisted that
receipts of coal in Omaha this week
will be less than last week and that
further conservation measures will
be necessary to meet the fuel strin-
gency.
Snow, wind and lowering temper
atures throughout the west during
the last "a hours retarded transpor-
tation of meager shipments of coal
Ell route, and increased the demands
for coal.
Endorses Wood Chopping.
= H. L. Snyder, acting chairman OF
the committee, endorsed wood chop
ping as conservation measure.
Randall K. Brown and ]. M. Gillian
Of the Omaha Chamber of Com
merce are considering the production
of large quantities of fuel wood from
the timber lands near Omaha. A
volunteer organization was started
yesterday by the Council Bluffs
Chamber of Commerce.
Charitable organizations are hav-
ing their rush season advanced
earlier than they have ever expert
enced, and the employment bureaus
are being sought by hundreds OF
unemployed. =,
Thesice cutting season, which will
be started soon, will give employ
ment to hundreds of men near
Omaha.
Personal Investigation.
While the coal committee was de-
vising ways and means yesterday to
further restrict the use of coal in
Omaha and Council Bluffs, City
Commissioner Butler made per-
sonal investigation of the coal on
track here and reported that he OBJ
served more than 1000 cars and OBJ
tanned reliable information from
railroad men that there are as many
more cars on tracks between Omaha
and Fremont, Missouri Valley and
Boone, la.
There are 600 cars of coal on the
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