The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1915-09-22
Shortage in
Coal
Correspondent of Railroad
Paper Says Big Exports
Will Boost the
Price on This
Side.


2O.O0O,00 tons OF coal annually,
which is more than enough for
home consumption. France
normally produces lO,O0O, 600
tons of coal, but consumes CO.
100000 The Goa which rep
resents excess of consumption
over production normally comes
from the English and Belgian
coal fields. At the present time
all the coal dug in Belgium is
mined exclusively for the Ger
man interests, and Frances
production, because of German
occupation of the mines i'm
Northern France, has been cut
To- about O,OO0,O0O tons Where
viii France get the lO,0OO,O0O
tons Of coal which constitutes
her shortage this year: That is
the question which is worrying
France as the cold months
draw near.
Walter S. Hiatt, special
European correspondent Of the
Railway Age Gazette, in the
current issue of that weekly.
analyses the coal situation i'm
Europe and comes to the con
clusion that coal mined in this
country will ultimately euse the
coal shortage in France This
wilt happen despite the high
cost of ocean transportation,
he believes, and will have the
effect of keeping down prices of
coal in Europe
The same grade of coal which
costs American railroads So
ton, Mr. HIATT points out, is
costing the French railroads
$40 to 3l2 a ton. The French
rali Dads are using twice as
much coal in war times as in
ordinary times. They win not
be the first sufferers In the coul
famine which is facing the
Continent The private con
sumers, who at present are I'M
able to get deliveries at amy
price, will be the sufferers, Mr..
Hiatt says The general effect
0f the European coal famine
may be felt in this country, too.
The situation Is thus sum
married. by Mr.. Hiatt:
"With the war expected to
last until next year, the coal
shortage in Europe is going to
be- a distressing subject this
winter. 1t means that the rail
roads will have a hard time be-
cause of the Increased cost of
coal, il means that many
families will have to go with
out heat; il means that coal
may be slightly higher in price
in tho United States if the
American coal merchants are
able to deliver all the coal they
have contracted to deliver i'm
Europe If American railroad
terminal methods and ma
chinery for handling coal rapid
ly and in large quantities exist
ed at Italian and French ports,
American coal merchants would
this year sell upward of $4,000,
OO0 tons
Italy and Russia will also be
sufferers as "a result OF the short
age, Mr. Hiatt says. OF all the
countries at war England, Ger
many. and Austria alone will
oe unifected to any pressing de-
gree. Italy produces little coal
and Russia produces 10000, 600 !
tons. Germany's average an
nual production is 200, 900, 900. /
She viii produce enough for
nome consumption but will not
approximate t h average
figures Austria's production
VIII be sufficient for home con
sumption.
The railroads of Germany
certainly will not suffer in their
war activities from lack of coal, -
says the article, "since they
consume in normal times but |
slightly over 1000, 900 tons per
year. The increase consumption
OF coal due to the intricate war
movements of trains will not /
false this figure to more than
"a, 200, 900. In Russia, however, |
winch because of the blockaded /
seas, has been forced to bring its !
Imports of an kinda Of ,yo,