Evening star., 1950-02-22
Coal Priority System
For Public BUILDINGS
Mapped by District

TuPPCu W D1SIIII
The District government today
prepared to stretch its coal supply
for public buildings through a
priority system similar to the one
already adopted for soft coal
users in the city.
Night classes in the public
schools yesterday were ordered
suspended indefinitely, but the.
public schools will open tomorrow
for regular classes
School Supt. Hobart M. Corning
said that whether the schools will
open Friday will be decided later,
depending on developments in the
coal situation.
c. Melvin Sharpe. Board of
Education president, has author
ity to close the schools if 1t is
deemed necessary.
DR.. Corning said that the
school are on practically day
to day basis" now. Although
about five-day supply of coal
is in the schools bunkers, it is
distributed unevenly with some
buildings needing deliveries al
most Immediately, he pointed out.
Night Activities Continue.
Recreation activities in the
schools at night will continue
as they have been during the
past week-with the benefit of
the heat left from daytime oper-
ations. This has worked out sat-
isfactory, Milo Christensen, rec
reation superintendent, stated.
Roland NJ Brennan, District
purchasing officer, said he had
prepared priority list in case it
becomes necessary to ration coal
to District public buildings.
Mr.. Brennan said the public
institutions will be rationed coal
in this order:
/. Glenn Dale Sanatorium and
Health Department clinics.
2. District Training School at
Laurel, Md.
3. Lorton Reformatory and Oc-
coquan Workhouse.
4. Industrial Home School and
National Training School for
Girls.
5. District Building.
s. Miscellaneous Engineer De-
partment shops, Ford Building and
Force School. which contain rent
control and public health engi-
neering offices.
7. Public schools.
8. Libraries.
Some Agencies Use Oil.
District agencies not on the list
are heated by oil or hard coal, Mr..
Brennan explained.
The Commissioners yesterday
sent telegram to Jess Larson,
Administrator of the General
Services Administration, asking
whether the District could count
on its regular supply of coal. This
agency contains the Federal Sup
ply Service which furnishes coal
to the District government.
Mr.. Brennan. said he under
stood the GSA had from $4,000 to
$1,000 tons of coal on hand. The
District normally gets about a
third of the coal received by GSA,
indicating about 1000 tons are
available.
1,500 Tons Used Weekly.
The District uses about 1,5O0
tons a week. half of which goes
to the public schools. Mr.. Bren-
nan explained.
Accordingly. the District prob
ably could keep it's buildings
heated about four weeks under
present conservation efforts, he
added.
Mr.. Brennan said the problem
is one of constantly surveying
stockpiles available to the Dis
trict government. If the strike
continues a week or two more,
drastic rationing probably will
be forced with the schools and
libraries getting no coal.
The rationing plan for the
District buildings is now being
considered by the Commissioners
and has not been adopted as yet.
Plan Enters Second Day.
Meanwhile. the rationing plan
for commercial users of soft coal
in the city entered its second
day of operation.
Under five-point priority pro-
gram set up by the Commission
ers and approved by the local coal
dealers, tie District Fuel Co.
ordinating Committee was issuing
certificates to commercial soft coal
users. Those with low priorities
will be handled on an individual
hardship basis by the committee.
1t is estimated that only about
a weeks supply of soft coal re-
mains in the stockpiles of the To-
cal dealers. Hard coal, largely
used for home furnaces, is not
considered in short supply. Those
homes using soft coal will have to
shift to hard coal during the
emergency.
g. U. Students to Hear