Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-18
MAY Materially
INCREASE D. C. COAL
SUPPLY IN MONTH
Plan of Committee Expected
to Brighten Fuel
Outlook.

Prospects for greatly augmented
coal supply for Washington, which
may reach normal within a month, ap-
peared bright today with announce
ment by the District coal committee
that it will go before the Interstate
Commerce Commission this week with
a definite plea for more coal for this
city, based on its position as an "es-
sential point of consumption"
Survey work of the committee is
practically completed. it was said to-
day. All that is wanting is the final
report of a subcommittee appointed to
inquire into certain minor phases of
the local coal situation This report is
expected to be made to the full COM
mittee either today or tomorrow. The
committee will then go before the
commissions with its plea for more
coal for Washington.
Coincident with this announcement
II was learned from scverol lar2c To-
cal dealers that their orders have brea
placed on the operators preference
lists in the anthracite district Of the
Reading Coal Company in Penusyl-
vania. This is believed TO be- pre-
1iminary to virtual flooding of Wash
1ngton with coal A member of the
coal committee said today in his
opinion Washington will have all the
coal II needs for the winter before
Christmas at present prices OF even
lower. At the same time, he said, the
committee does not intend to relax
Its efforts to obtain an ample supply
now because the present situation
justif1es such efforts. What the fu.
ture may bring forth is problematical,
he said, and the committee will not
be deferred in making it's plea, to the
Interstate Commerce Commission be-
cause operators have placed orders
of Washington dealers on the prefer
ence list.
short Haul to d. c.
The only reason Washington has
not received its normal supply, ac-
cording to a member of the ecommitte
is because operators have realized the
difficulty of hauling large supplies of
coal during winter weather to New
England and to the northwest. They
believe the haul to Washington to be
a comparatively short one with little
likelihood of heavy weather interfer-
ing with delivery and that, hJr ham
ding the long haul business first, bus
mess in the south can be taken, care
of at their convenience. For this and
the preference reason, the committee
believes Washington will. receive its
full share of coal before Christmas.
committee show that Washington is
35 per cent. or 100000 tons, short: of
its normal supply at this time of the
year. 1t was pointed. out, however,
that when dealers turn. their ship
ments southwark. this shortage can
be made up in very short time, the
most pressing problem, then, heing one
of delivery from railroad dump to
private coal yard. At present dealers
can handle all the coal they receive
on railroad sidinss. it 10 claimed.
When the committee appears be-
mission. probably Thursday OF Friday.
it will claim that continuance at it's
full; efficiency of government, business
in Washington is dependent. in q very
large degree on proper heating. II
will also claim, that Congress will
take cognizanee Of the Goa. shorsaee
in the capital unless prompt remedial
steps are taken. Thousands Of. cavern
ment' employees will be put to great
inconvenience and suffering il Wash
ington does not have sufficient coal,
they will assert.
y6 sharp Price Drop.
There is hardly any possibility of
a sharp drop in the price of bitumi-
nous coal in Washington, dealers
said today. unless the National Coal
Association adopts a resolution APP
proving the stand of the fair prac-
tees committee of the operators of
northern West Virginia and, applies
II to the nation as whole. The fair
practices committee of the northern
West Virginia. operators agreed to
reduce the price of coal for local con-
sumption in that section from $l4
to IS.
Attorney General Palmer, has re-
quested the National Coal Association
to follow the example set by the West
Nirginians and has sent the following
telegram to Everett Drennen, chair
man of the northern West Virginia
operators committee:
Referring to your report as a
chairman of a committee of btu
minous coal operators from the north
ern district of West Virginia, that
prices of bituminous coal in that dis
trict have been recently substantially
reduced through the efforts of your
committee Ton the adoption of reso-
Iutions). This is gratifying. but
does not afford relief to the rest of
the country. 1t is of the highest
Importance that the reduction in
prices thus begun should be extended
so as to include operations in other
districts and coal for delivery
throughout the country. l. am ex-
tremely DESTROYS that such. action
shall be taken. by YOURSELF and other
operators throughout The country as
will be to the best interests of the
country and will tighten the work of
ducing the number of prosecutions to
be instituted for violation of the
Lever act in charging unreasonable
priceS"