The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-19

1rarespondsues Xssooiatsd PtessI
BUENoSRAIRESs March i6--Coal
foIf Ordinary sconsumption I'm thesAr.
fentfneGisSnow S35 gold per ton, and
6aYd3toEpurchase even at that Figure.
T0Spfeyentsthe reduction ofsthe pres:
emit Emeagre supply the national gov,
efnmentS has ordered tho principal
steamships Companies not 70 put on ~
board any outbound vessel more q
MISREPRESENTATION carry ittp! the near
est Brazilian port of call This a
iSgthefpropertyEofE the steamship COM
spanies stored here asSa precautionary
measurefand2the fact that the govern
mentihas been oblfged3 to place en-
barge on this private property L.
dicaHYelof the seriousnesStotS the tueI
problems In this country;
The railroads likewise have been
forced togeconomize by cutting down
the Surnmer;} timetables OF trains and
dnkfKeSfneantime they aye5placed or
9derS4for 1,500,o00E tons aot hard wood
for fuel But even wood has goneSupS
SIS alton within a week and Is now
4duntedsatl $SaSpaper, or $14, gold: Char
EcoalfisE largely used for domestic pur-
poses and Is So a Ton cheaperh
The situation is5such that even the
ships of the Argentine navy are de-
Cleared to- be impotent owing to tho
lack of coal. The American,but1t bat
tIeships RlYadavia and Moreno we're
CONSTRUCTED to burn oil, but apparent
glySthes oil problem js nearly as serious
aBsthetcoa situation. Crude petroleum
from tho Argentine wells Is being OF
fferadtin limited quantities at $50 pa
uer3s S34 gold per ton. Although re-
ported inferior only to the best Ru-
smanian1 oil the Argentine government
end people have displayed a sceptt-
cal attitude toward the native oil:
The deposits have been said to be
unlimited but5despite this the output
hhasEbeens small andaneither the navy
or manufacturers generally avail
thetnse1vesSof3the native product. The
German Electric Light and Power
company which supplies this city and
suburbs. and which formerlySused coal
exclusively, began to use the Argen-
tinaioil after the outbreak ofsthe war
but has later discontinued that and
Is now burning the Mexican product.
This notwithstanding the recent
grant 4bS the government Of $15,0o0.-
100Etosdeyelop the Argentine oil re-
gions:
An Official report Of conditions pre-
iyailing In and around the Gomodoro-
Revfdayta oil area shows some ineffi-
Client conditions under which the de-l
Velopmentg of. the field is being UNDER
taken: Water Is lacking insthat region
and hass toEb brought from a place
3moresthans30 30 miles away and labor
isE also scarce. Being a government
monopoly, and heavily fiscalized. the
Operations have been elaborate and
Costly, but it is charged extremely
inefficient. IT is said .to3be doubtful
whether the oil fields will ever rel
sapond to the elaborate hopes based
lupohethe Casual dfscoverySof them In
1907! government inspector, just
returned from the district, expresses.
$hts surprise that locomotives plying
to and from the petroleum zone are
still being fired with costly coal.
Tie8peat deposits OF Terra del
Flego are declared to contain mex
hanatible supplies Of that fuel but
with scarcity of coasting vessels and
that bleak region. 1t is more than
doubtful whether It will ever pay. Of
wood there is an enormous supply,
but it grows in the remote and gem
fera1ly4insalubrfous regions.
AS for american coal. the freight
charged 90 Bhillings per ton. rules8itI
out of consideration. in view of the
fact that the British product is ship.
.pedIat $5o3aiton This can be done be
cause freighters. are sure of picking
up profitable charters in the River
5Platte for England or France.
no give an idea OF the manifold
waysapSRhleh the lack OF. fuel affects
thaSeurrents OF commerce, It Is suffi-
Scfsntsto note that tho great hotel pro-
p%rfegorss have met and ,deliberated
upon the hest, course OF action in
XtewGofxthe Increased kitchen and
laundry expenses, which are nearly
double what they were.