The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-09-23
Fuel Committee Presents Sharp
Angles of Situation
SHORTAGE OF ANTHRACITE
Supply Must Be Doled out in
Small Lots But With No
Higher Prices

the local fuel committee has been re
quested to promulgate regulations 70
the distribution and rationing Of tn
supply so that all may receive III
tie OF the meager amount now avail
able rather than a few consumer
getting what is required for thei
winter needs.
The committee is being continual
ly urged by the state fuel distributor
to use every reasonable effort L
bring home to the coal users of thi.
community the fact that there 1,
bound to be a coal shortage through
out the State for some time. AL
though reports indicate that the pro
duction OF anthracite coal at the
mines is constantly increasing. II is
not yet back to the amount produced
a year ago at this time and II is prac.
tcally impossible for the operators
to mine enough before cold weather
is upon us, to meet the needs OF all.
The fact that very little coal has
been received by local retail dealers
since last June should not be lost
sight Of Hence they are behind in
distribution by so much as wou d
NORMALLY have been received by them
and delivered to consumers during
the four months or more last past.
II allotments made to the local
dealers by the wholesalers are ship.
ped and received at this point ap-
proximately the same amount OF coal
will be available for our requirements
for the next few months that was
| had last year, but this will not take
care of the shortage caused by no
coal being received during the months
last past Nor do these allotments
necessarily mean that we are 10 get
the amount OF coal allotted. They are
simply promises to ship II the whole.
salers have the supply. Many con.
tingencies may arise or conditions
exist which may so change the cir.
cumstances that these allotments will
be refused.
The shortage OF anthracite coal
should thus be supplemented by all
consumers in procuring a supply of
substitutes for anthracite, such as
| coke, bituminous coal or wood. In
addition it is we'll for people until
they get suitable coal supply to so
arrange their household affairs as to
require to be heated as few rooms Of
their dwellings as possible through
the cold winter. Coal may also be
conserved by the calking of doors and
windows and putting storm protec.
tors thereon In some instances
houses may be banked and other
provisions made for keeping out the
cold.
The procuring of substitutes should
be done at once. Every consumer
can, with little inconvenience, use
small quantity OF substitute and not
expect that when the first cold snap
comes the local dealers will be able
to supply every consumer OF this vii.
lage with either anthracite coal or
bitumnous. If you will au obtain a
little now, you will experience less
inconvenience as the cold weather
approaches.
An ample supply of bltumnous coal
can be had at present at reasonable
prices and no one need fear that he
Will not be able to obtain some kind
OF fuel so long as the present condi
tons exist. 1t is quite likely we
shall experience some Inconvenience
in the matter of fuel before the win
ter is over but with little care and
determination to get along with ex.
listing conditions, soft coal can be
used to good advantage for domestic
purposes, There is also a good sup
ply Of wood available and although
the price is a little high at present, it
is expected that the market will so
adjust itself that it can be- obtained
at about the same basis of cost as
coal
The committee has no authority to
procure a supply of coal or make al.
lotments thereof, but to insure that
all OF the coal users may have a lit
tie it is deemed advisable tnat no
consumer shall be entitled to more
than one ton at one time until all
who desire 1t have been furnished
with a small quantity, proportionate
to their needs. Office buildings,
stores and buildings where large
furnaces are used for heating, can
very easily use the above mentioned
substitutes to the extent Of at least
thirty per cent, and will be required
to do so for the present as a condi.
tion of their obtaining anthracite.
No anthracite is to be delivered by
the local dealers to customers having
on hand a SO.day supply and deliver.
les to each customer it Is expected
will be limited to a 90-day supply un:
til further notice
1t is gratifying to know that the
price of anthracite coal is not to be
increased because Of the impending
shortage We hear of advancing
prices elsewhere but our local deal.
ers assure us that the price will be
no higher, in fact, they are now of.
fering anthracite coal at lower fig.