Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-25

hard coal, whereas, the dealers de-
clare there Is no room to store anth-
racite even if it We're obtainable. The
situation Is described as desperate,
with not only the retailers facing
losses in the crumbltng substitute
market, but the hard coal operators
confronted with the possibility OF cur
failing production until room has been
made for their shipments.
Condition Is General
Washington is not alone in this di
Iemma. according to dispatches from
other parts of the anthracite burning
districts. Stock taking in the New
York market showed 700 900 tons of
substitutes on the market, with the
consumers demanding anthracite or
nothing. The situation. 1t is declared
is full of serious danger both for the
retail dealers. the wholesale operators,
the anthracite miners and the general
public.
One Washington dealer has 900
tons of bituminous coal and stove
size coke already in his bins and fully
5000 more tons in cars or on ships
ready for shipment. His efforts at
least to curtail shipments not Yet
delivered have met with failure thus
far. and unless renewed entreaties
mitted he would face problem, not
alone because of the tremendous sup
ply OF substitutes, but also because
he would have no room tor the coal
the public wants.
Bought at Peak Price.
One of the large wholesale firms has
1000 tons in It's yards or on the rails
en- route to the yards. Every piece of
this coal, it was declared, was bought
at the peak Of the market. Another
retail firm reported 1000 tons of sub
stitutes now on hand, third said he
had the same amount and still an
other counted approximately 1900
tons of substitutes either in his yards
or en- route from mines and ovens. All
said they are bound to accept the coal
now on the way.
All of this coal was purchased in
anticipation of the public having to
rely on substitutes throughout the
Winter. When the second conference
between the miners and operators of
the anthracite industry failed, it was
generally believed that Summer alone
would force peace. The retailers or
dered accordingly. Now, they declare,
the sudden termination of the strike
has left them completely sunk with
their yards full of fuel the public has
plainly shown 1t no longer wants.
Buying Almost Stopped.
The mild weather has aggravated
the situation. 1t has encouraged the
public to practically cease buying al
together, and a situation is being
reached whereby there will not even
now Ell route unless some Of those on
hand are bought. This will create
shortage Of cars for hauling anthra
cite. it is declared, and demurrage
charges will pile up.
Several dealers declared they have
even had demands from customers
that they come and remove what
ever was left Of substitutes pur-
chased weeks ago and deliver anthra-
cite in it's place. Others swear they
can not burn the substitutes. al
though most of them were obliged to
do so much of the Winter. A good
cold March, it is declared. appears to
be the only hope of saving some
dealers from utter ruin and the fuel
industry from decentralization.
Those who do weather the storm
admit that tremendous losses on
substitutes now will mean higher
prices for anthracite in the Summer.
The Bottom has dropped out of the
having been cut to half. The fuel
that dealers have to sell, however.
cost the full strike-time price. Local
dealers declare they can not sustain
such a loss and continue In business,
but the loss must be absorbed in the
business for the whole year.
Cost of Demurrage.
No word has come from Pennsylvania
to indicate that anthracite coal will
reach Washington In normal guam
titles before April, at least, it is said.
But even if hard coal were obtainable,
1t is probable that weeks will pass be-
fore there will be enough cars to main.
tain shipments or enough room in the
yards to store it. A dealer, it was
pointed out, must dump his coal in 48
hours or pay the railroads demurrage
for the use of the cars.
The first anthracite to come here
was on February Is, consisting of four
cars. Practically none has arrived
since. Reports from Pennsylvania in
dicate that deliveries to towns near the
anthracite mines are about normal
now, but with thousands of cars in
New York. Baltimore, Boston, Wash
10 1a1,