New-York tribune., 1922-09-30
w oodill " arms
Public to Buy
Soft Coal Now
|Decries Consumers Apathy
To Anthracite Shortage:
Says Snowsiorms May Hiis-
der Bituminous Deliveries
Substitutes Are Available
Urges Those With Storage
Facilities TO Make Their
Purchases Immediately

Il
-------------------
The apparent apathy with which the
pecplc OF the state are facing the
shortage of anthracite coal Is causing
the State Fuel Administrator much con-
Germ. William II. Woodn, State Fuel
Administrator, issued statement yea
terday, again calling public attention
to the likelihood of there being only a
very limited supply of hard coal in
stove sizes during the coming winter,
even under the most favorable weather
conditions, and pointing out that bad
s.orm. bringing in Its wake dcmoral-
ization of rail transportation, would
proaably cause great suffering for went
OF COIL.
Mr.. Wooain senses danger in the
poe,tipn taken by most householders,
which has caused them TO sit back.
buying no soft coal or other substi-
tntes for anthracite at this time, al
though there is a plentiful market Of
these fuels. If the railroads break
down owing to severe snow storms
even this fuel will be difficult to get.
situation" said Mr.. Woodin. every
ing for his regular supply of coal.
And they are not going to get 1t. Hct
no one seems to pay any attention to
the situation md is not buying soft
conl or other substitutes"
The formal statement issued at Mr..
Woodn's office yesterday follows:
Mr. Woodins Statement
al took office Oh the fifth day Of
my time and attention to the fuel and
ransportntion si.uation of New York
State.
There have been continual confer
ences with the producers Of coal, the
agencies for It's distribution and the
carriers The best that we can dis
cpyer is that sufficient soft coal Is
available for all, and there Is consid-
crabie wood in the rura! districts.
There is even sufficient hard coal, do
moatic sizes, for household use while
the waaeher holds fine.
''Uut there is no immedinte prospect
of sufficient hard coal to warrant any
considerable modification Of general
order No. /. limiting deliveries to two
weeks supply at a time. The plain
-thare will surely be real shortage Of
anthracite domestic sizes. We have
already bean informed. and have so
informed the public, that the anthra-
cite committee estimate they Will be
abs TO produce and distribute only be-
tween so and so per cent Of our normal
hard coal requirements.
Advises Immcdiate Purchases
"ln this situation, with substitutes
such rs soft coal, coke, wood and gas
available to the household consumer, I
earnestly advise all household con-
sumers with my storage facilities
whatever to purchase substitutes while
they can be certain Of deliveries.
II urge the public not to ignore the
feet that the railroads (which already
wer. wh rking to full capacity when the
strike was terminated, received not
only the Increased coal tonnage, but
the additional burdens incident to this
SCISSOR Of the year.
ut therefore Is not only a question
II r.ecaiving fuel supplies, but it Is
also question of transporting fuel
supplies, food supplies and other es-
sertials, ,|and the public knows that the
efficiently when winter storms. snow
and cold interfere. These conditions
also apply to local deliveries, where
all trackage may be demoralized by
bad weather.
Public Must Face Facts
There is no reason for a panic of
buying; neither is there any excuse for
failure to face the facts, which re-
peat--we are not likely to have more
than 60 per cent Of our needs in anthra-
cite. To wait, hoping for fayoritism or
to obtain an unfair proportion by en-
couraging the dkaler to profiteer, Is to
invite the penaaties Of severe Anes,
with their attendant disgrace, II not
actual imprisonment. The peddler
trade is going to receive preference,
because its customers have no fac!l
ties for storage, cannot buy in ton
mage and are least able to protect
themselves. There is plenty Of soft
coal and there are other substitutes
for those who study them The deal
ers will not begin to carry considerable
stocks of these substitutes until they
know that there will be market for
them. 1t will be each persons own
fault if sudden cold snap finds him
wholly unprepared.
II urge consideration Of these con-
ditions as duty owed by all good
citizens to themselves and TO the
state"