The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
Coal Strike To Paralyze To-
peka Soon, Dealers Assert.
Coal on Hand Sold-Mush in
Transit Spoken For.
RAIL CONFISCATION DANGER
Twenty Coal Yards in City
Practically Empty.
Many Mills Burn Oil and VIII
Run. Long Time.

With the nation wide coal strike
only day old, Topeka was today fac
ling industrial paralysis in ten days.
Excepting plants operated by oil or
electricity. the majority of the city's
industries must shut down in ten days
coal dealers declared today. All coal
now on hand is sold and most of that
in transit must go to fill back orders.
they asserted. If the railroads confis-
cate much of the fuel in transit a shut
down must come sooner.
The amount of coal in transit from
the mines last night was probably ten
ITO Topeka before at this time of the
year. Just how much of it will be
received is problematical. If every
pound reaches it's destination, it will
| not last more than ten days, dealers
| say.
The amount of coal on hand in To-
peka today does not exceed 1000 tons,
| it was believed. 1t is all sold, with
the exception of some anthracite.
Most of the twenty coal yards in the
they are now $500 tons behind on or
ders.
| Steam Coal Need Great.
The great need in the city is for
/ steam coal-southern Kansas mill,
| slack or nut. Coal that fires quickly
4 is essential to the operation of steam
driven machinery. Hard coal is not
only too high priced--it does not give
results. With the city as whole
dealers point out, the comfort and
convenience of the individual is Sec
ondary to the maintenance of the in
| dustrial machine.
With the feared closing down of the
factories will come enforced fdleness
of hundreds of workers. Probably the
most important coal consumer in the
city is the Edison plant. A. Fl. Purdy
general manager, says he can operate
twenty days provided he can get cal
of fuel oil every day. After that, i
the sitaution is not relieved, the plan
must proba bly, shut down. This mean
a cessation of light, heat and powei
land the subsequent closing of depend
I ent establishments not previously af
Ifected BY coal Famine.
The city light plant has enough Goa
on hand to run about ten days. tn
Iwater plant can run longer.
Can some of the coal at the waite
plant be transferred to the ligh
plsnt?" Fred Painter was asked
Run water Plant Longer.
81 wouldn't want to do it," he re
piled. until we see how things ar
) going to turn out. I would rather SCI
the city in darkness than withou
water ana fire protection"
With the exception of the Kaw anS
Inter- Ocean mills. both big coal users
the mills in the city probably will no
, be affected. With the exception of tn
Shawnee mills, which are dependen
. on electricity for power. the balance o
the elevators will burn fuel OIL.
The big hotels of the city have thei
own heating systems and are depend
: ent on coal. The State hospital ant
: Boys Industrial school north of tn
, city are dependent on coal, as are mos
! of the laundries and milk companies
) Private consumers who have bas
{ burners are in luck. There is pient.
of hard coal in town, but the soft Goa
user is up against it." The chief Goa
in transit is from Illinois Indiana ant
Colorado. There is very little Usage
T Burlingame or southern Kansas Goa
in the city: