The Washington times., 1922-07-29
HARD COAL ALL
GONE BUT PEA,
DEALERS AVER
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have awakened to the fact that a
great shortage must be faced. Sales
of pea coal are rapid. This feul can
be utilized in any save big hot air
plants. 1t Is a good thing to have
to mix with larger grades also. Pea
Is running from $12 to $3.50 .
ton.
Soft coal was running in very
satisfactorily UP to last week, and
was priced at from $3.50 to 50 a ton,
In line with the operators agreement
with Herbert Hoover. In this con-
nection. 1t seems strange that a fuel
distributor has not been appointed
for the District as in several States.
am told Hoover may take this move
soon. 1t would aid greatly in the
situation, and maintain the priorities
as scheduled by the Interstate COM
merce Comm ission.
This soft coal can be burned do
mestically, but IT'S the dirtiest stuff
imaginable. Its fumes penetrate the
whole house, and 1t has to be stocked
constantly to keep the bottom from
falling out of the fire under ones
eyes and to prevent 1t from 'coking.'
THE three leading wholesale an
thracite dumps from which the
smaller local retailers get their sup
plies have been doing a land office
business. The race for supplies
started several days ago with the
suddenness Of a sprint"
Consultation OF leading retailers
brought out varying statesents, as
follows:
J. P. Agnew a Co., Inc:
I'VE have no domestic coal but pea.
and little soft coal Is coming in, nor
are householders taking to It kindly.
We are booking post-strike orders
and limiting amounts for immediate
delivery to two tons of pea a house.
All our future oSders are being mum.
bered. We have learned that the
public is in some instances taking ad.
vantage OF the dealers by lodging fu-
ture orders with several firms, with
the idea Of assuring a supply from
one and dcanceling the others. This
Is unfair and will clog the delivery
systems.
Whatever eventuates, Washing
ton Will not freeze. The Capital
has the call over other cities and
will get sufficient supplies. But 1t
looks like distribution In one-ton
lots for the coming cold season."
j. Maury Dove Company:
I'VE are out of pea coal. Several
days ago 1000 tons was delivered
to a wholesale dump. but we did
not compete in the purchasing. Soft
coal in homes? We haven't gotten
that badly off yet. It's the worst
stuff you can bring in the house"
The general tone Of the official
interviewed was one Of optimism.
He said he and his associates had
weathered the strike Of 1906 and
guessed they could get through this
one all right, and without holding
up the public either.
w. w. Griffith:
We have not limited sales Of pea
coal to customers. The grand rush
to put in coal at this time Is unwar.
ranted. The stocking up should have
started early in the spring when the
strike commenced. Had there been
evinced at that time any demand for
pea coal. we could have put in $4,000
tons. Now the demand is coming al
at once, to the confusion Of the deliy-
cry svstem"
City Near Both Fields.
1t is pointed out that Washington
occupies one Of the most advanta.
geous positions as regards both an.
thracite and bituminous distribution
of all the big cities. II is a short
haul from both the Pennsylvania and
West Virginia fields, and only Pitts.
burgh. Philadelphia and Baltimore
are better situated. At the same
time, the Capital, in common with
other cities from New York south.
will probably have to wait when tn.
strike is settled for usual supplies
until the priorities of the Great
Lakes and New England regions ar,
satisfied. An official of the Inter.
state Commerce Commission said re-.
Gently that II the usual stocks were
to go to the Great Lakes centers
shipments should have started July 4
From this 1t can be seen what pres.
sure for bituminous stocks at least
will be felt when the union miners 20
back to work.
There Is no immediate danger OF n
fuel shortage crippling the Federal
or District governments, II was de-
clared today by George F. Pope, su
perintendent Of the Government
luel yardS.
There is at present a stock of
more than 10000 tons of bitum,nous
coal In the yards and In the bins of
the various departments, Mr.. Pope
estimated. This amount, he de-
clared, was sufficient to run all Gov.
ernment buildings in Washington,
except the navy yard. which has an
independent fuel supply, for period
OF thirty to forty days
During the past week or so coal
shipments have fallen off slightly"
Mr. Pope said, but, II not another
pound was received we could keep
going for at least a month or forty
days"
The summer consumption Of all
the Federal and District government
buildings In the District, with the
sole exception Of the navy yard, IL
10000 tons a month In, summer and
$4,000 tons a month In winter, Il is
stated. The total annual consump-
tion amounts to about PTS, 200 tons,
OF which 100000 is bituminous and
rs, 900 anthracite.
The soft coal now being received
by the Government yards comes
from the nonunion New River
mines, Mr.. Pope said.