The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-08-02

sible Solution.
Will Brattleboro people have to set up
their old stoves in the parlor this winter
and will they keep man busy in the
cellar piling wood into the furnace?
Shall we see great loads of cordwood
and immense cargoes of sawed or chopped
wood dragging down the Main street and
on the way to the cellars or wOodsheds of
the villagers? This is what may happen
locally if the coal strike is not settled
within few moons.
OF course, a continuation of the coal
strike into the late fall and winter
might cause a general exodus of people
down south, where the more balmy eli
mates are in vogue, but such a departure
is most likely to exist in thought rather
than in action.
However, conditions locally, as far as
the coal strike is concerned, are in fair
shape. but only fair. House owners and
dwellers using furnaces and stoves, who
have been accustomed to laying in a def
mite supply of coal for the winter, have
been partially taken care of The strike
has been in progress for a period of four
months, and at the beginning of that
time the local yards housed a good supply
| Of hard or anthracite coal. This supply
has been distributed as fairly as possible.
no one person receiving the full number
OF tons that he desired. If the strike con-
Times and no way is found for its settle
ment, no more hard coal will be in sight
and people viii have to settle down to
the burning of wood or else live in the
cold.
1t is not expected. however, that the
coal strike will cause these hardships.
In an interview with a representative
from The Reformer today, Edward b.
Barrows the well-known coal dealer.
said that he could not conceive OF any
way by which the mines would remain
| idle all winter. Mr.. Barrows is of the
| opinion that some means of settlement
I will be Forthcoming soon. He says, how
4 ever, that the dealers stocks of hard coal
are exhausted and that the only allot-
ment of coal that he expects-and it IS
I only an expectatiOn-iS a few cars of
| pea coal. After that has been fairly
distributed among people who have sent
in orders, we must await the inevitable.
| The bituminous or soft coal situation
/ is considerable easier. Where the hard
| coal mines have been completely closed
up since April 1, the soft coal mines to
some extent have been in operation. since,
| it is stated many of the soft coal miners
are non-unionized, whereas the anthracite
/ fields are strongly if not almost wholly
/ UHtOHlLpN. OI TINT ItdSoii. MI DdE-
rows said. the working of from 80 to 40
per cent of the soft coal mines has en-
abled a fair supply of soft coal to come
/ in town practically all the time. The
/ industries in Brattleboro are being taken
| care of right along and a critical situa-
/ tion in the soft coal market is not ex-
/ pected
| As for the man or woman who hasn't
/ sent in any order for coal this summer,
j he according to MIR. Barrows, is simply
/ out of luck
| The school houses, business blocks and
| apartment houses have been awarded
their allotment of coal and it is expected
that they will be abled to get along
with their present supply for some time
| 1t is then expected that the coal miners
and the operators win have come to some
| agreement.
In the meantime the townspeope will
/ live on anticipation and hope. Many
| people think that perhaps wood this win
ter won't seem so bad after all, for if the
strike continues and even if some hard
coal did come through would the pocket
books of the people stand the strain?