Indiana daily times., 1920-08-04
MANY ORDERS
FOR COAL MEET
SHORT SUPPLY
indianapolis Dealers Doubt
Ability TO Fill Bins for
Winter.
STILL ON FAMINE EDGE

indianapolis learned her lesson in the
fuel fafmnes of the war and would like
10 stock up her coal cellar long before
cold weather sets in. but whether she is
going TO get the bin filed In time is
problematical
All the good intentions in the world
couldn't survive the succession of ran
tieups and unauthorized strikes which
continuously have held up normal pro-
duction of coal this summer.
These are conclusions drawn from ex-
pressions of retail coal dealers.
The latest blow to hopes for a COM
Portable winter, coming from the sporadic
mine strikes Of the last few weeks, nave
not made the situation worse, one dealer
said. principally because the situation,
for this time of the year, could not oe
much gloonier-
hack to work the end of this week would
have seen practically all dealers close
70 the end of their supplies and many
industries in the city facing possible
shut-downs
Indiana polls has been affected partic-
ularlv by the strike through the seizure
By railroads OF coal on its road here.
HELD UP
SINCE STRIKE.
A. B. Meyer. Of A. B. Meyer & Co. re-
ported that from fifty to sixty cars con-
signed to his company have been held
up since the strikes began.
If these are released and delivered with
in a week or so the situation in this city
will be eased, the dealer said.
Mr.. Meyer said large number Of citi-
zeHs have attempted to place orders for
their winter supply, but that deliveries
can not be promised under existing con-
ditions.
None of the local coal men has any
coal stored, he added. and there is lit
tie likelihood that they will be able to
build up reserve stocks anywhere near
as great as in pre-war times'
In the face OF this Mr.. Meyer declared
he did not believe the situation is critical
OF would be this winter.
1T the miners hadn't started working
We would have been in a bad way; we'd
all have had to close down within a
week. declared John A. George. presi-
dent of the indianapolis Coal Company.
''The coal yards are barren.
"AIl eastern coal coming into the city
and all that has been coming In is
very, very little, mind you-has been
held up by the railroads
This ought TO be released some time
this week
INDUSTRIES NEAR
EDGE AGAIN.
~"The industries of the city have been
to the edge again.
There is no doubt that many fac
tories await eagerly the arrival of newly
mined COAL
The strikes have served TO bring out
more fOrcibly the fact that there is little
cr no coal in the city, compared TO for
ner years, in the opinion OF 4. E. Brad
shaw, president of the Indianapolis
Mortar and Fuel Company.
we have had lots of inquiries from
people who desire to store their coal
early, but we have informed them that
while they should use their own tudg-
ment we feel the present prices are ex-
cessive and hence are not buying in
iaree quantities, believing conditions
would improve"
Mr. Bradshaw said that If steady
stream Of fuel could be kept coming into
the city from now on there ought not
be suffering this winter.
That's only 4 guess, however he
added. Lots Of people IN the coal
business don't seem TO feel that way"
Dealers did not feel Ike estimating
what percentage OF homes have been
able TO store fuel so far, but generally it
was thought to be 4 relatively small
number.