The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-06-26
'NAVYS EXPERIENCE
WITH ALABAMA GOAL
INTERESTING COMMUNICATION
APPEARING IN MANUFACTURE
Frs RECORD ON SUBJECT.

"The Navy and Alabama Coap IS
the subject of an interesting special
from Birmingham to The Manufac-
turers' Record. It is locally interest
ing, and is as follows:
The Birmingham correspondent OF
the Manufacturers Record IN an ar
ticle appearing in the Manufacturers
Record of June 1, did not intend to
convey the impression that in its re-
cent awards to Alabama coal opera
tors for coal for government use at
Pensacola and New Orleans the gov
eminent was using Alabama coal IN
southern waters for the first time.
He used the term first formal rec
ognition of Alabama coal by the
navy"
Alabama coal has been used by the
government at Mobile, New Orleans
and Pensacola as far back as fifteen
years in a limited way. The recent
award of contracts for Pensacola and
New Orleans followed Immediately
upon the heels of a stout and per-
sistent presentation Of the merits of
Alabama Goals made to the navy de-
partment by Congressman Oliver,
Gray and Huddleston and United
States Senator'S Bankhead and White.
As the outcome the navy department
accepted Imperial company's coal for
tests on the cruiser Flusher and other
vessels of the navy department ply
ing in the Mexican waters out Of
New Orleans.
Then the government invited Ala
bama coal operators to bid on sup
plying its Pensacola and New Or
leans needs. Alabama coal operators,
who backed their congressman in their
efforts, have naturally presumed that
the recent awards were the outgrowth
Of these efforts. Indications most as
suredly are that Alabama will supply
more and ore coal for the govern
ment in southern waters year by year
henceforth. The awards were regard
ed in coal circles at large as a for
NAL recognition.
However, when Alsbamians made
their most recent efforts to force the
more thorough recognition Of their
Goals and greater use by the govern
ment in southern waters, they had
not only the 1912 tests, which abso-
lutely established their merit, but the
success which for several years had
attended the use of Alabama coal at
Pensacola. The navy department has
been using the Tennessee Company's
Old Pratt screened steam lump coal
since early in February, 1913. In
1914 considerable tonnage of this
coal was supplied through Pensacola
to the United States battleship Mis-
sissippi, and the navy collier Brutus
carried 5000 tons of coal for delivery
to ships of the navy and war depart
ments at Vera Cruz and Galveston. In
1918, Merritt & Co., agents for the
Old Pratt coal, were awarded an an
nual contract for a minimum of TO-
900 tons and maximum of 10000
tons of Old Pratt screened steam
lump, which contract was handled
successfully.
An error was made IN the first ad,
vices sent out from Washington Il
the effect that the Pratt Consolidated
company had secured some of the
Pensacola business. That was owing
to the confusion with the Pratt Goa
of the Tennessee company. However
the Pratt Consolidated in 1915 fur
nished quite an amount of its Pratt
steam coal for revenue cutters anC
other purposes at Mobile, and ha,
supplied the government with nue.
coal at different times both for LANE
and water uses at New Orleans.
The use of the Goals of the Ten
nessee company at Pensacola hai
come without special activity on tn,
part of that concern. It was no
among the operators who urged tn,
Alabama congressman and senator
this spring to renew the campaign
for government use of Alabama Goals
The Tennessee company, since it wa
absorbed by the United States Steel
never joins in efforts 70 influence o
bring pressure on legislators.
po.aroIao& ola No,,4Io "a