The Washington times., 1922-10-22
SUPPLYOFFUEL
IS FAR BEHIND
. WANTS Of CITY
More Than $4,000 House,
holders Are Awaiting First
Winter Delivery.
COMMISSION KEEPING TAB
Army Men Faring Better in
Prices Than General Run
of Purchasers.

SohSc dHu OtHcT uclDcfdtc AZ
tempts on the part of consumers
to get more than their proper
share Of hard coal, have been un-
covered by the Public Utilities
Commission. AS a result q strict
watch is being kept on every coal
application made in the District
of Columbia.
The coal situation is far from
normal, officials of the commits
sion declared last night. Only
two-thirds of the $4,000 house
holders in Washington have so
far received the one months sup
ply allotted to them. There are
more than $4,000 householders
awaiting their first winter de-
livery.
Coal Coming Slowly.
Coal continue st ocome in slowly
with the result of serious shortage.
Persons who have just bought new
homes and have never heretofore
had a reguar coal dealer are ex.
periencing difficulty in getting any
coal at all. Some dealers are de-
clining to accept orders from new
customers whiel others are telling
them that December l is the ear.
liest date they can make deliveries
to them.
The cold weather of the past few
weeks has resulted in a flood of
coal applications being filled out,
They are coming into the commits.
sion at the rate of 500 a day. So
far about 81 900 applications have
been received. The average re-
As.N L.. o.. ~ . L..
sary winter supply.
The commission repeatly has been
forced to warn both dealers and con.
sumers that duplicate orders will not
be tolerated. Some consumers have
been filing applications with .wo
dealers. In these cases. the commits.
sioners asked the consumers to with.
draw one Of the two orders.
One OF the tricks uncovered was In
the northwest section. Application
was made by a prominent lawyer for
coal. A few days later the lawyers
chauffeur sought coal. A few days
later the lawyers gardener sought
coal. This was uncovered when
the commission found all three per.
sons asked that the coal be sent to
one house. The commission straight.
ened this matter out by refusing 70
permit the delivery of but one of the
three requests.
Warning to Dealer.
In another instance the commits
sion served notice on one coal
dealer that any further attempts
TO supply any Of his customers
with more than the established
allotment would result in an at.
tempt on the part Of the commits.
sion to put him out of business.
Army officers and enlisted men
are fsring much better than Wash.
ington householders in the way of
prices, 1t was learned yesterday.
Uncle Sam charges them only s6.52
for soft coal. while the private con-
sumer must pay on the average Of
S12 a ton.
Uncle Sans rates on hard coal
range from s1O.42 from to s13.16
have from $3.50 to SIC per ton
to exc over a livelihood.
An order has been posted by
Conrad s. Babcock, chief Of staff
at the direction Of Brigadier Gen.
eral Bandholtz, commanding the
district OF Washington, providing
that the army men must not buy
p-ss than five ana one-half tons at
o lIiIie.
The Public Utilities Commission
now is in the midst of an investi
cation to determine whether Off
GERS and enlisted men are permit
ted to buy more coal than the pri
vate householder. Requests for
action on the part Of the War and
Navy Departments have not been
answered.
army Prices Lower.
The prices Of hard coal to the
army men are much less than is
being paid by the public. The
prices quoted are: Red ash stove,
$1316: egg, 1891: furnace, $12.31;
pea, $10.42; white ash stove. $12.66:
chestnut, s12.61, and bituminous,
$3.50.
The five and half-ton ruling Of
the War Department Is working a
hardship on some army men here.
When one retired army sergeant's
wife went to the supply officer at
Twentieth and G streets northwest,
70 purchase a ton Of coal. she was
given a copy of the order. The words
'limited to one ton per month for the
present" were scratched out and at
the top Of the order was written,
"five and one.half tons smallest de-
livery"
To rake together the price Of so
much coal at one time was more than
the retired sergeant was capable of
doing on his meagre retired pay.
Turned Down Cold.
"I tried to buy one or two tons.
but was refused" the wife Of the
sergeant said.
"I know of twenty at least, re.
tired soldiers, who wish to buy one
ton a month, but can not do so,
under present orders, although they
are entitled to buy fuel through the
Government
The coal order Of the War De.
partment among other things says:
"As no appropriation has been
made for storage, coal will be de.
llyered to the curb and officers will
have to arrange for storing their
coal from outside sources.