The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-08-11
Shortage in Supply, Scarcity
of Help, Freight Rates
Are High
LOCAL DEALER SAYS
PROSPECT is BAD
Warning Issued by Dealers Associa-
ton - Practically No Storage Coal
on Hand, Which Means that Season
Is Started with Handicap.

According to the New England Coal
dealers association men who failed to
enlist and accept service on the Mex
lean border are due to be very sorry
before many months. Not that the coal
dealers association itself plans anv
drastic measures to aid the government
IN recruiting the army and the National
Guard, but it predicts shortage in the
commodity generally used to furnish
fuel for fires.
Before the winter is over someone
along the Connecticut may feel impelled
to write companion piece to the poem
now being circulated among the sol
der boys in the south entitled He'll on
the Rio Grandc.
The coal dealers association has sent
broadcast to the press of the New Eng.
land states circular letter which is
filled with dire forebodings. Apparently
there Is nothing right about the coal
situation. 1t appears to be undisputed
that there is yet some coal to be mined.
but there is lack Of men to mine it; not
enough has been mined for the last year
or two to keep up with the demand;
emhargocS on some Of the railroads
have held up shipments: even if the
submarines are not working in neutral
waters water transportation facilities
are scarce; freight rates are Highland
there are other reasons. The letter fol-
lows:
Editor of The Rcformer:-
We believe ii is for the interest of
your readers to know the conditions now
existing in the anthracite coal trade.
In April, 1916, there was mined near
lv two million tons less than in the cor
responding month in 1918: in Nav, 1916,
nearly one-half a million tons less. Dur
ing this period in 1916 there was labor
trouble which, according to the newspa-
pers, was settled, but which, in accord
ance To the facts existing in the mining
regions, was not settled. There was
practically no storage coal on hand
April !, except small quantities in the
hands OF the retail dealers. This means
that we start out this season with a
handicap. Labor shortage exists in the
mining regions as it does everywhere
else.
1t is well known to collicry owners
that II the mines are in full operation,
they cannot produce an amount of coal
III excess Of our requirements. Further
more, transportation facilities are in a
most serious condition. One of our big
New England lines has been obliged re-
Gently to lntllct an embargo to relieve
congestion, which means that for a
period of time no anthracite coal could
be shipped from the mines consigned
via this particular railroad s lines. This
is unprecedented at this time of the
| year.
Transportation facilities by water are
scarce. Water freight rates are ex-
tremelv high for this season. 1t is up to
| the consumer himself to say whether or
not we shall have abnormallv high priced
coal next winter. The consumer is as
much interested in storing coal at this
season as anyone else Every person
| who purchases coal now, has it de
| livered, aud pays for it promptly is do
ing his part toward relieving the situa-
| tion, and the risk of shortage next win
| ter.
1t is extremely important that We
| should all do our part to prevent high
prices which will be brought about
| through transportation and coal scarci
| ty, thus causing much suffering and
hardship to the improvident, or those
who, because of their method of liv.
! Z.
We trust you are willing to put this
matter before your readers, and thereby
greatly oblige.
Yours very truly,
| NEW ENGLAND COAL DEALERS
ASS N, w. A. Clark, President
+. B. Barrows was handed the letter
and asked to comment upon it. He am
plitied and emphasized and when he had
finished, the wording of the letter ap
peared weak and scandalously made
uate to convey the prospects of a cheer
less winter.
Not but what Mr.. Barrows intends te
do all that he can but he pointed out
that with chestnut and stove coal nov
selling at 1915 per ton and egg coal, tht
usual furnace size, only % cents less
there Is certainty of a 10-cent in
crease Sept. l and nobody knows wha
is to follow.
Where does the man on a fixed sal
ary get off - Mr.. Barrows was asked
He don t, was the reply. ..
cannot see where he has chance AM
do not see any hope for better thing
in my line of trade until after next win
ter, if then.
lie was able to find more real reasol
for the increase III the cost of coal an
, the scarcity of that commodity thaI
are dealers in such commodities a
+ flour and sugar and meats.
In the first place there was 10 pc
cent less coal mined last year than wa
mined the year before. Since the war i