Evening star., 1922-08-14
TONS COAL
WEEKLY D. c. NEED
Federal Distributor Told Pri-
v2te Users Take $4,000
of Total.

Washington will need approximate
ly s42.782 tons of coal~a week during
the winter, Walter c. Allen, secre-
tary to the Public Utilities Commits
sion, informed Federal Fuel Distrib-
utor Herbert B. Spencer in a letter
today.
OF that amount $4,000 tons repre-
sents the weekly requirement of pri-
vate users and the balance is the
amount needed to keep the electric
lights, gas, street car and telephone
companies running.
According to the letter, the $4,000
tons for private use is divided as fol-
lows: Anthracite, 21.000 tons a week.
and bituminous, $4,000 tons.
Here are the weekly requirements
of the utilities: Potomac Electric
Power Company. 1900 tons of btu
minous: Washington Gas Light Com
pany, anthracite, 1000 tons; bitumi-
nous, $50 tons. and coke. 500 tons.
Capital Traction Company, 900 tons
of bituminous.
Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company: Anthracite. eight tons. and
bituminous. forty-four tons.
The Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company derives its current from
the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany.
Mr.. Allen told Mr.. Spencer that the
estimate of $4,000 tons for private
use was obtained from the wholesale
coal dealers, who supply the retail
ers. This estimate, he said, undoubt-
edly represents maximum winter
LEGATIONS may show that the demand
can be lessened.
Supplied Through Dealers.
The letter stated that there are
practically no industries in the Dis
trict that get large shipments of coal
direct from the mines.
AS soon as the information Is OBJ
tanned from the federal authorities
as to what percentage of this weekly
requirement the city may expect to
receive the Commissioners will be in
tent. If at all, curtailment should be
made in the use of fuel.
The commission has already given
much thought to the question of cur
failing supplies for non-essential
use uses but ,, cannot approach the prob
what amount of fuel is to be expected
weekly.
Engineer Commissioner Keller. chair
man OF the commission. stated today
that the commission will gladly inves-
tfgate the complaint of any consumer
exorbitant, price for fuel. While no
announcement has been made as to
the margin of Eofit coal dealers will
be expected to work on. the commits
sion has provided a means of check
Ing up on ccal prices by having all
dealers submit daily report to the
Commissioners. Col. Keller indicated
that the coal merchants have shown
spirit Of cooperation and willing
ness in working with the commission
to obtain and distribute fairly the
supply Of coal needed for the winter
supply Figures Changing.
Mr.. Aliens letter to the federal
fuel distributor shows that the
amount of coal on hand, exclusive of
that In the production of public
and 1850 tons Of bituminous. These
figures. however, are changing from
day to day as the fuel shipments ar
rive.
The Public Utilities Commission
also has asked the federal fuel dis
tributor for advice as to what to do
in the case of families living just
across the District line in Chevy
Chase and Takoma Park, Md, who
in normal times obtained their fuel
from Washington dealers. The COM
mission wants information as to
whether the bins of these families
coal dealers or whether they should
be handled through the Maryland
distribution system.
Another problem which has arisen
Is that of who will control coal
dumps for Washington companies
that are located outside Of the Dis
trict.