Evening journal., 1922-08-07
COAL SUPPLY TO
BE ECANVASSED
Coal Commission Wants Co.
operation of Public in
Handling Situation
PRIORITY SYSTEM
WILL BE USED

Arrangements for establishing
headquarters and for rationing fu
supplies throughout Delaware, und,
the priority system evolved by Ser
rotary Hoover, Department of Con-
merce. are being made at a meetin
this afternoon, of the newly-ap
pointed Delaware Coal Comm ission.
Through the courtesy of tn
Chamber of Commerce, the first ses
sion of the commission is being he'll
in the directors room of the cham
Der. in the DUPONT Building. tn
membership OF the commission, a
named by Governor Denney, is a
follows: Leon Walker, Wilmington
chairman; Henry p. Scott, Jr., ant
Robert D. Kemp, Wilmington; Jess
/. Shepperd, Middletown; Charlie
r. Wilson, Dover; Garrett S. Har
rington. Harrington; former Cover
nor John G. Townsend, Jr., Selby
vile; L. Lee Layton, Jr, George
town.
Chairman Walker is hopeful the
commission will be able 10 so con-
troll the fuel supplies coming into
the State as not only TO prevent
much unnecessary distress but 10
keep the wheels OF industry turn
ing. He proposes that the commits
sion shall take care OF all public
institutions, public utilities, ice
plants. bakeries, hospitals, public
works and government buildings.
1t is his plan to enlist the coop
GRAFTON of the public as far as pos
sfble. He purposes achieving this
largely through the medium Of pub
licity.
"There Is no need OF throwing a
scare into the people," Mr.. Walker
reiterated today. $50 no statement
will be made public detailing our
plans until after we know where we
stand and our course has been ap-
proved by the entire commission"
A complete canvass will be made
of every coal supply station in the
State and City. Then the urgent
needs Of the present vii be consider
ed and met, as far as is possible. In
this work the commission will be
assisted by the fuel administration
In Washington.
The Board Of Health, at the pres
ent time, has only sufficient coal on
hand to run the incinerating plant
for two weeks. A carload Of coal
has been ordered. and is on the road
somewhere, but the time of its ar
rival is uncertain. In the event OF
it being delayed until after the pres |
ent supply is used, arrangements |
will be made for hauling shavings !
and sawdust from local manufac-
turing plants in sufficient quantities |
TO keep the fires burning.
The following statement is au-
thorized by the Pennsylvania Rail-
road:
'Consumers may depend abso-
lutely on the movement of coal on |
the Pennsylvania System. Every car !
OF coal received by the Pennsylvania |
System from connecting lines or
mined on this railroad is being |
prevailed before the railroad shop
men went on strike. No Interrupt /
ion whatsoever has been caused by
he railroad strike in the supply of
Empty coal cars or the movement
# loaded cars.
ION August 4. the number Of I
tored good order railroad owned coal
,ars on other than mine sidings to-
aled 1879. These are idle cars =,
tvailable for coal loading and are in
addition 10 the cars supplied to {
mines that are now producing coal.
''As matter of fact. in addition :
-. r,rAIrafne~ nnaT
there is now available an empty car \
supply for every mine on the Penn
sylvania System that can produce
coal. Good order empty cars are
now available at the sidings Of the :
mines that are not producing coal
and will be moved whenever the
mines open and the cars are loaded.
"The Pennsylvania System is to-
lay supplying more than 100 per | .
ent of the number of cars called !
or by the rating of producing mines
nd moving the coal as rapidly as ]
is loaded.
"Tn this connection attention. is
allied to the fact that before the !
abroad strike began the average :
eekly production of coal had been
1t down from 10.714.000 tons TO ]
050, 900 tons. For thirteen weeks 7
fore the railroad strike began
erefore. the loss of coal was about Y
100000 tons and for seventeen s
seks since the coal strike began
e country has been without so per +
Mt of its coal production for which n
g the railroads are in no way re-
onsible." F