The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-12-07
GREAT FUEL SHORT
AGE FOR IDAHO

IHe~ priority rlgnt fOr coal theS'
sfmines were only working to abou
, 55 per cent of their efficiency. Sine,
, the priority right has been in ex
, istence, these mines have raised thei
efficiency to 95 per cent, giving vi
/ decided increase in coal from
, the Wyoming fields.
= have to advise the people O
Idaho, however, that this priorit,
order has not done so much for tn,
Utah fields. While the condition.
; are improving daily in a small way
up to the present time it has no
been enough to show any great in
crease in the output from the. Utaf
fields. Owing to the physical condi
tions and lack of equipment on the
d. & R. G., l am now satisfied W.
have nearly reached the high water
mark.
The conditions that now alarm me
troll, and are serious matter to the
people of this state.
| | find that in November, 1915
Idaho received $4,000 tons from the
Utah and Wyoming mines, while for
1.-THE first three weeks of November
1917, we only received 9,4O0 tons.
made a careful estimate of the coal
| for the fourth week of November,
and do not believe it will be possible
for Idaho to receive more than 12,-
1900 tons, giving this state only 25
per cent of the coal for November
OF this year as compared with the
tonnage received for November,
1915.
Lately / have spent much Of my
time in Salt Lake City trying to i'm
prove these conditions. | am ad-
vised that owing to the fact that
California no longer receives coal
from Australia, that some of the
railroads on the Southern Pacific,
which formerly burned oil, are now
forced to burn coal, and that the
great state of California has become
largely dependent upon the Utah and
Wyoming mines, today they are
drawing IS per cent of their fuel
from these mines.
Then again l find that the rail-
roads are forced to draw heavily on
all, the coal fields of both Utah and
wyoming.
feel it is my duty to advise the
people of this state of these facts
so that they may prepare themselves
for the most serious coal shortage
Idaho has ever known. I have not
given up hope that the present con-
ditions will be improved, and am
exerting every effort to that end.
The time has come when I must
say to the people of Idaho, especially
to those living in communities where
wood is available, keep your roads
open to the timber, and commence at
once to supply yourself with fuel for
the winter; to the farmers, you must
gather up every available piece of
wood upon the farm; if you have
any dead trees, cut them down and
put them into fuel; if it is possible
for you to get any kind of fuel, sage
brush or anything else, make a pile
Of wood for yourself.
Unless the present conditions i'm
prove, there will not be enough coal
to take care of the people in those
cities and towns where it is impos-
sible for them to get any consider
able supply of fuel, except coal. I
regret to advise the people that if |
the shortage continues, it will soon
become necessary for me to direct
the coal to those cities and towns
that have no other available fule
supply, only that of coal. feel that
I would not be competent to fill the |
position of fuel administrator for |
Idaho, If l did not have the courage |
to protect the people as far as pos
sible in those communities that are
miles away from any forest.
| have called upon the cities, |
towns, villages and counties in Idaho
for fuel survey of their communi-
ties, so I may better understand the
needs of very community in the
state. This survey is of vital i'm
portance to this office. Communities
failing to furnish this information
will be excepted by me as being
amply supplied with fuel and not
needing any direction of coal into
their communities.
l am very glad to advise the peo-
pie of my state that the Oregon
Short Line has on it's right-of-way
on the main line and its various !
branches, forty-six thousand old ties, /
that 1t will sell for five cents each.
If the farmers who are in reach of
the main line or any of the branches |
of the Oregon Short Line, will call
upon the section foreman or the |
agent they can make arrangements
for supply of old ties for their
winters use.
Mr.. Knickerbocker, of the Oregon |
Short Line has been kind enough to
ask for rate on these ties, or will
furnish work train at actual cost
to bring the ties to those towns and
village where the haul is too long by |
wagon. Owing to the shortage Of
labor on the Short Line at the pres
ent time, it is going to be necessary |
for the communities to organize and |
the people go out and load their own |
ties. 1t is estimated it will take at |
least twenty-five men to pick up ten
car loads a day.
These ties will cost delivered along |
the station of the Oregon Short Line
not more than seven and half cents |
each, labor to be furnished free, or
approximately $2.75 a cord. AS
have burned old ties for fuel during
my residence in Idaho, can say to
the people that under emergency
such as exists today, they make very
nI.~ I&NI