Evening star., 1950-02-14
SoftCoa| Buying
Here 10 BeCut
To3-DaySupp|Y
Commissioners Ask
Prompt Restriction
Of Deliveries

The Commissioners today are
requesting all coal dealers to begin
restricting deliveries here immedi-
ately as striking coal miners con-
tinued to stay away from the Ma
tion's pits.
The city heads asked dealers to:
/. Restrict anthracite coal de-
liveries to one ton for any one Gus
toner, and substitute pea, buck
wheat or rice for other grades if
necessary.
2. Restrict soft-coal deliveries
to those customers whose supply
is down to less than three days,
including their surplus or inven-
tory stocks. and not to exceed
three-days' supply in any such
delivery.
To-Day Commercial Supply.
The action followed a conference
with other District officials and
representatives of the coal dealers
during the Commissioners meet
ing this morning.
Patrick A. Deck, chairman of
the coal division of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association,
reported dealers had approximate
ly a To-day supply of coal avail
able for commercial use.
He expressed no immediate
concern for domestic users and
assured the city heads that hos
pitfalls would be taken care of.
The Commissioners were told
that there is about a three-week
supply available for Federal and
District institutions.
Mr.. Deck suggested that the
city heads ask dealers to limit
commercial orders to a three-day
supply and hold another meeting
in a week to consider more dras-
tice measures if necessary.
Conservation Plan Urged.
J. Thomas Kennedy, Superin-
tendent of weights, measures and
markets for the District, said he
felt some conservation plan should
be formulated by the Commission
ers and the dealers which could
60 into effect within "a hours in
case of need.
Among the suggestions ad-
vanced for conservation in case
the supply should become critical
ly short were the closing of
amusement places and the turn
ing down of heat in apartment
houses during the middle Of the
day
District Health Officer Daniel A.
Seckinger said that householders
might be advised to keep tempera-
lures at 68 degrees, rather than 10.
This, he said, would be con-
ducive to health" and if neces-
sary the recommended tempera-
ture could be dropped to IS.
MINERS ran TO snow up.
On the national front, reports
from the key producing States of
Pennsylvania and West Virginia
showed that the miners failed to
report for work on the midnight
shifts. There was no indication
that they would go back to the
pits soon, despite John L. Lewis
order which had told them to
return yesterday.
AS they stayed at home for the
ninth day in their current walk
out, Mr.. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers, and coal
operators prepared to resume con-
tract negotiations here tomorrow
Government attorneys who OBJ
tanned an Injunction against the
striking miners under Taft-Hart-
ley law procedure were marking
time before deciding whether to
start contempt proceedings on
the basis of the order issued by
Judge Richmond B. Keech.
Results of Talks Awaited.
1t was indicated that they
wanted to see what progress, il
any, would come from the con-
tract negotiations arranged by Mr.
Lewis and the operators. They
will open at II am. tomorrow al
the Hotel Statler.
One coal operator was reported
by the Associated Press as saying
(See COAL, Page A-3.)