The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-12-13
rHy COAL suppLY-wHY 1T HAS BEEN
SHORT.


SHORT.
The auxieties and annoyances to when
| the people of Rock Island and Davenport
have been subject for some weeks on 40
count of the scarcity Of coal are at an end'
the Coal volley Mining Company having
brought to this marke, an average OF over
400 tons of coal per day for the last sky
days, and being now able to fully supply
the demand. We are told that IN Inc months
Of October and November the demand Is
never fully supplied for the reason that 80
many wish, diving these months, to lay IN
,boir v;,,sf's stock. This is not peculiar to
this pcali.y, and oil over the West the same
act exists, and for the same reason, as we
are advised.
In the month of August last, at the Coal
Valley mines, 100 miners could not find EN-
ployment for more than 3 or days IN the
week. because there was so little demand
for coal, while in October and November
$50 miners constantly employed could not
meet the demand. During these months
miners readily find employment at any place.
where coal is being produced, and there not
being enough miners in the country to sup
plv the entire demand for Goa. at that time,
it s found impracticable to increase the
mining force, except to a limited extent
Such being the case, il seems to US that the
| coal companies should, in the summer sea-
son, stock up their coal and have ii in the
market ready for :he extraordinary demand.
| THIS would Of course be attended with some
expense, and the coal Of this region being
soft, would be impaired somewhat in value
BY the extra handling; but these a-e small
considerations compared with the whole
community being destitute Of fuel, or being
even made to live in fear Of their inability
to find the wherewithal to keep their wives
and children from freezing or even from
suffering. The coal men would probably
say that the community should lay in thel'
supplies, in part at least, during the sum
mer. and thus enable them TO give thel
miners regular employment. That look
very we'll, but how many men could be mad
even to think of filling up their coal house
when the mercury stands at go IN the shade
and they are almost overcome with heat
Some remedy for this crying evil must
E devised, and it is certainly much easier &c
the coal men to lay in a stock Of coal tc
the emergency than it is to induce the con
munty to lay in their supplies in mid'Sun
= mer. The expense Of putting the coal
store houses should not be permit ed to d
- ter them, for it is not a mere question
price, but question Of fuel or no !"
n to thousands Of families, many OF VINO
II have not the means to lay in their suppi
in advance. The fact that the company,
which this community looks for its supp
of coal, never advances the price on accou
- of its scarcity or on account OF the dema
for the article, is commendabIe IN the
-, ,reme but we submit it would be 81
nd more commendable if it would store the CO
he for such emergencies as we have every IT
oh even if the community should be eharl
me the cost of storing aud should get an aFu
some wha, impaired in value by the eA
N. handling If few thousand tons had o'
stored last summer in this place and u
EXPORT, an immense amount OF annoya'
and inconvence, if not of positive suffer-
o would have been avoided; and we trust
ue, the experiment will at least be tried n
IT summer. We are aware that the coal IN
be sheltered from the sun and rain, and
g.. it will take very large house to she
even a few thousand tons, and that 1t
cost u large sum o. money to put 1T IN
storehouoe and get it out; but, rs we
that before, it is not primarily question of
'ury but question of tuet or no .tHet-at
uses to many of those who have not the mi
ooDs to lay in their supplies in the summer sea