New-York tribune., 1922-12-16
Frauds in Coal
Sales Charged.
ToDealers Here.
Woodin Orders Inquiry as
Consumers Complain OF
Stag and Slate Being
Mixed With Anthracite
Hoarders Under Fire, Too
z "Shoe-String" Fuel Con.
Germs Being Investigated
by the District Attorney

Frauds n the sale and distribution
Of coal which have resulted from the
situation created BY the shortage o.
5,n.s,le slse anthracite are being IN
v.s,lea,ed BY william II. woodin' State
Pu.I Administrator. and viii be vigOr-
ously prosecuted. It was announced yes
terBay.
Fraudulent practices are said TO Be
prevalent among dealers By which sag
.ls,e and other adulternnts are sold
As coal: the coal on order Is diverted
o,h.r users or coal which has been con
signed TO peddlsrs for the bag or pail
trad. IN the tenement districts Is sold
IN ton lots elsewhere at added .proht'
The shortage has brought With II Also
= erop Of mushroom coal concerns
which With alleged hoarders among
consumers. also viii be investigated
Small Portion Burnable
Reports have been frequent at the
fuel administrator office OF the
quality Of the coal being delivered By
some dealers. II some instances. II
vas said, only a small portion Of the
material delivered was really burnable'
anything which resembled coal even
tlightly having been included In the
load as long as A was black and shiny
and Of proper size. Complaint has been
made. too. that peddlers who have been
given special consideration IN allot-
ments OF coal because they supplied
the poorer sections Of the city we're
selling their coal IN ton lots 20 more
wealthy consumers at an added profit
instead Of delivering Il in lOO-bag lots
% their trade.
There has been one instance az least
in which a driver, instead Of delivering
his load Of coal 10 the person for
whom IL was intended. sold IL else
where At an increased price and Poek-
eted the difference. This particular
driver disappeared before an arrest
could be made.
The overnight crop Of "shoestring"
concerns have been receiving the con-
slant attention Of the fuel admins
tration. Seven such companies are
under investigation, while the affairs
Of two have been made the subject Of
inquiry by the District Attorneys Of
fee. In each instance they agreed 70
supply any quantity Of coal ordered.
but demanded advance payments or de-
posits with the order.
Woodin Wins Dinner Wager
The fuel Administration also is de-
termined TO put a stop 10 boarding b.
consumers. The order limiting de-
liyeries to a thirty days supply still
Is in force, and any violation Of the
order By making purchases from nu-
merous dealers will be prosecuted.
When Conrad <. Spens. Federal fuel
distributor, was here Thursday Ne paid
a bet which he had lost 70 William II.
Woodin, State Fuel Administrator, with
dinner for ten al the Ritz Carlton.
The wager was made on November 10.
Mr.. Spens. who was drafted By Presi-
dent Harding from bis post as traffic
manager OF the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy Railroad TO handle the feel
shortage In the nation. insisted he
would be back on his old job on De-
eember !: that he couldn't stay In
Washington beyond that date. Mr.
WOodin was equally insistsnt that Mr.
Spens could not be spared as soon as
that and would have 20 continue. And
the wager vas made.
A few days before December PreSi-
dent Harding sent for Mr.. Spens and
asked him 20 continue a. Federal Fuel
Distributor until January l, II not
longer. OF course Mr.. Spens acquiesced.
"The dinners on me-" Mr. Spens
wired Mr. Woodin.