The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-17
ANOTHER PHASE
OF COAL QUESTION
Shortage of Miners Hampers the
Production of Coal for
Storage.
PRESENT OUTLOOK is
VERY DISC0URAGING
Idaho, Utah and Other States
Concerned About the
Winter Supply.

= Necessity of storing coal for r
= next winter S use is approved r
+ at this time, A shortage IN the =
i. supply of miners is just now y
i. hampering the operators, and =
i. the production is falling off, =
+ Max Mayfeld, chairman of +
+ the transportation committee of =
X the Boise Commercial club, =
!. visited Salt Lake TO Investigate r
:. conditions relating to the Idaho =
= coal supply. =
X Suggestion was made that Il
Il conference Of coal operators be i.
i. held in Salt Lake in an effort =
= to better the labor situation at X
I. the mines, =
i. :. :: = !! \ = :. = + + X !. = = =
The urgency of the necessity of stor-
ing coal during the summer months is
being impressed upon the people and
dealers of the InteTmountain States,
but the outlook is not encouraging. A
shortage of miners is seriously hamper
ing the efforts of the mine-owners, and
the production is falling far short OF
the capacity OF the mines.
Max Mayfeld, chairman Of the trans
portation committee of the Boise Com
mercial club, visited Salt Lake Wednes
day for the purpose Of looking into the
question of the coal supply for Idaho
for next winter. and he found the sit
uation somewhat discouraglug. He Wis
tied Oregon Short Line headquarters
and received assurances there that the
car supply was plentiful; but the mine
operators could give no encouragement,
,rrl, ,lyn In mutt nf ctn loo
coal this summer The difficulty the
owners have to face is the shortage
Of miners. 1t is stated that the Utah
Fuel company could furnish employ
ment to 800 additional men at its mines,
and the Central Coal and Coke company
could employ 200 more men at its work
ings at Rock Springs, The result is
that the mines are only being worked
10 about half their capacity and the
the daily demand. OF course, tho
dealers can hll all the orders received,
and consumers are urged to store coal,
where at nll possible; but so far as
dealers being able TO lay in a store of
fuel to meet the heavy demand in the
fall, when railroad equipment will be
diverted TO other fields OF industry, that
is perplexing question.
No Coal for Logan.
AS an instance Of this inability to
meet the storage question, the follow
ing facts are cited: a few days ago
James Larson, of the Larson Coal and
Wood company of Logan, visited Salt
Lake for the purpose Of arranging for
a winter coal supply. He was prepared
to order, pay for, and store 5000 tons
of coal, but he could get no assurance
from the mine-owners that the supply
would be forthcoming, because the
shortage of labor at the mines would
not warrant them in making any
promises, AS a matter of fact. it is
stated that today the indications are
that they Will not be able TO fill more
than twenty-five per cent of the orders
on hand for storage coal.
This state of affairs applies to Utah,
Idaho, Nevada, and other States with
in the territory supplied by the Utah
and Wyoming coal fields. nsidering
the great influx of population 10 the
lntermountain States and the industrial
development, thus creating an increased
demand for fuel, the outlook for the
winter supply is by no means promis-
ing. Nevada alone has largely in.
creased its consumption within the past
two or three years. In Southern Ne
vada today there are $4,000 more of
population than was there four years
ago and this host has to be warmed
during the winter months In the same
period the population of the Intermoun-
tain States has increased by several
hundred thousand, but the output of
the mines has been correspondence
limited.
II has been suggested that the coal
operators meet in conference at Salt
Lake to ascertain if by a combination
Of effort the labor situation at the
mines cannot be improved Probably
ways and means could be devised TO in
crease the output. and If so. then by
all means a conference should be held:
out practical results of such a couclave
ire doubtful.
In tho meantime citizens are urged
% store coal whore it is at all possible. |
The storage by individuals will help
he situation considerably, and the
beneficial effects of this precautionary
measure will be amply manifested in
he fall, II may sound like urging the
'arrying of coal to Newcastle to insist
ipon storing coal with the summer heat
impending, but the necessities of the
occasion demand it,