Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-02
COAL
SHORTAGE IN D. C.,
COMMISSION HEARS
Service Bureau of |. C. C. viii
Take Steps to Get Quota
for Capital.

2i5.0o0 tons of anthracite coal for con-
sumption in the period between October.
1920. and March, 1921. according to a
report of the District coal committee.
sent to the Commissioners today, follow
ing conference yesterday with T. II.
De Groot. assistant chief of the bureau
of service of the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Mr. De Groot told the committee he
would Immediately take up with +. w.
Parker, director of the anthracite coal
bureau in Philadelphia. the three fol-
lowing points: Whether figures on re-
ceipts of anthracite here correspond
with those of shipments by operators:
concrete program for getting coal
shipped here. and the rate at which il
can be expected
He said there is no question about
the plenitude of the car supply nor Of
the ability of the railroads to handle
the coal billed here.
There is no reason why coal billed
to Washington should not be trans
ported to its destination without loss of
time Mr.. De Groot said. IF in any
case specific lack of delivery here is
brought to my attention ! will be glad
to handle these cases.
Requirements for Winter.
To meet local anthracite coal re-
quirements from October, 1920, to
March. 1921. inclusive, the committee
estimates there must be furnished
36S,612 tons, or an additional amount
of 1885, tons beyond that which was
furnished in former years. in August.
1920. according to the report, there
was shipped to Washington 41,161
tons, while in September receipts here
were 23,159 tons. total for the two
months of 6i,320. Receipts during
October have probably brought the
total for the three months above
leaving a deficit of approximately
2750OO tons at this time.
The committee Incorporated in its
report its plea made to Mr.. De Groot
yesterday. in which it said:
"The comparative statement of ship
ments for this year and for 1919
shows much greater decrease in
August, 1920, than in previous months
and much greater comparative
shortage in September, 1920. than in
any other month of the current year..
Inability of operators and trans
portation companies to supply the
necessary coal in the months of Au-
gust and September shows in fact and
by comparison the alarming situation
of our people" the report says.
There can be no question that some-
thing must be done to relieve the dis
tress here. ft
should Take Responsibility.
washington is virtually a govern
ment plant. Its citizens are made up
largely of government workers, and
the government itself should see to il
that this city is supplied with the
necessary coal to prevent the suffer-
ing and hardship which must follow
unless relief is given at once.
''Our committee presents this case
to you with the belief that you Will
see the awful predicament in which
our people are placed and will require
the coal operators and transportation
to come to our rescue. II
YOU do not we cannot hope, at the
present time, for relief from any other
source.
.The coal operators insist that they
have done the best they could to supply
the need The transportation COM
panies inform us that they delivered
to us the coal which has been placed
on their cars and that Suffclent cars
have been furnished to meet the de-
mands of the coal operators. If these
statements are true, we have no rem
edy unless the Interstate Commerce
Commission will provide it. Cold
weather will soon be here, and there
is no immediate prospect OF supply
of coal to meet the requirements. Our
need is urgent, our demands are Inn
med;Ne and relief, to- be effectual,
should be brought at once. In our dis
tress we know of no other source from
which relief can be assured, excepting
through your action. We beg you,
therefore, to give immediate attention
to the needs of our people. and make
the necessary orders to insure supply
of coal which will meet the necessities
of the people of Washington.
Receipts Below 1919.
The report shows receipts of btu
minous coal during 1920 to have been
far below those of 1919. From April,
1920. to September. 1920, inclusive,
there were received in the District
274117 tons of bitumous coal. Ihe
estimates as OF october l.
there are required 559.S73 tons of BIZ
luminous coal needed to equal the
average for former years.
There was twice as much bitumi-
nous coal shipped in the months of
was in August and September, 1920"
the report says. The comparative
shortage in September 1920. was COM
greater than that of Au-
gust, 1920.
Receipts of anthracite coal from
April, 1918. to March, 1919, inclusive,
were 606,S99 tons. the statement
shows, as against receipts from April
1919, to March. 1920. of 57s,954 tons.
Receipts from April. 1920, to Septem-
Der, 1920, were ABA, leaving a bal
ance in anthracite required to equal
former years of 36S,612 tons.
The report is signed by Z. c. Gra-
ham. chairman, and S. J. Prescott.
W. w. Griffith. Arthur ]. May and
James L. Lloyd, comprising the Dis
trict coal committee.