Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-14
HIGH COAL PRICES
NOT IMPROBABLE
Several Conditions, It Is Said,
May Cause Shortage
of Fuel.
STRIKE OF MINERS
NOW is Threatened
Labor Shortage and Car Shortage
Also May Prove Contribut-
ing Causes.

Householders, factory managers who
use coal for power. light, heat and
other purposes. and the coal dealers of
Washington would do well to look
into the present national coal situation
of the United States. according to in
formation obtained today. Experts on
that subject now in Washington be-
lieve that there is a possibility that
the prices of all grades of coal will be
considerably increased before the win
ter is over.
The reasons for this are fourfold. In
the first place. there is said to be
serious shortage of labor at the mines
because many of the miners who have
been digging coal were reservists in
some Of the European armies and have
gone home to fight. In the second
place, the coal trade is said to be face
to face with the worst car shortage
known in years In the third place,
there will be a natural and very large
ly increas ed demand for coal as the
fall and winter months come; and in
tire fourth place, there is said to be
strong possibility that the miners Will
go on strike" in case the demands
they have made of the operators are
not met before the present four-year
agreement between the two expires
April /. 1916.
Scarcity Means High Prices.
IF coal gets scarce" said one Wash
ington coal expert today. 1.-The present
rates undoubtedly will be advanced.
Four years ago coal went up from so
to IS cents a ton. We had light win
ter in Washington that year and did
not have to pay these advances in this
city. as we managed to get enough to
supply all demands in the Distr ct.
Under conditions not anywhere near as
threatening as they are now coal has
advanced from 10 cents to $1.25 a ton,
although this has been in communities
where there has always been greater
demand for coal than in Washington.
The car shortage re are now eX-
periencIn,, has been brought about by
the railroads, IT is said. because while
they were waiting to find out whether
thzy would get the increases they
asked in freight rates from the inter-
STATE commerce commission they did
ruy continue to keep Up their equip
r-eht II coal car lays up two or
tt rec months IL is in worse shape than
when running. because while n car is
running 1t is necessary to keep II in
good condition. The railroads are now
trying to bring their equipment Up to
good condition. but whether they will
succeed In time is a question.
Delays in Shipping.
II know of a local dealer who placed
an order in July for 1000 tons of
b,tuminous coal for Washington de-
livery. That entire order was shipped
f-om the mines in five days. A similar
order was placed shortly after Septem-
Der ! and up to the present time only
go tons Of il have been shipped. be-
cause the shippers cannot get the cars.
also know of dealer who has an
order at the mines for the shipment Of
four cars of coal a day. There has
been one car shipped this month Of
that order. The latter case is that Of
Q typical anthracite household coal of
which more il sold than any other.
This also is due to lack Of cars.
A large number of collieries have
-ecentiy been shut down in the anthra-
Gle coal region, due to car shortag e,
ard In the Pennsylvania and West Vir-
GINA bituminous region there have been
tw@nty-four collieries shut down.
THE numbe of cars in condition will
not handle the tonnage of the coun-