The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-29
Think Present Spread In
Bituminous is Ex-
orbitant
WANT NATION
r.... TO TAKE RISK
Adopt Resolutions Asking
That Government Insure
Coal Cargoes

North DakotaS fueI administrator
is asked to urge the federal fuel
administration to make a close in.
vestigation of the federal order, eff
fective Oct 90, 1917, relative to
prices fixed for coal received at wa
ter docks on Lakes Michigan and
Superior, before extending or con-
tinuing the order beyond April 80,
1918, in resolutions adopted at t%~
close of the conference Of district
fuel chairmen in session with State
Fuel Administrator Isaac p. Baker
in Fargo late Wednesday afternoon.
BY virtue Of the executive order
which went into effect on the men
toned date, invoices to Fargo retail
coal dealers show a difference Of
about so cents between anthracite
and bituminous prices at the Head
of the Lakes, while at the mines the
price on bituminous has been fixed
at $40 and on anthracite $3.50 by
previous orders of the President.
With transportation charges cheaper
on bituminous than anthracite and
the supply of soft coal more plenti-
full than that OF hard coal, this con-
dition should not exist at the docks,
in the opinion Of the district fuel
chairmen.
Ask Risk be Assured.
Another resolution. adopted by the
conference asks the government to
assume the insurance risk on the
transportation of coal on the Great
Lakes for the time after the usual
date of closing, Dec. 3, until naviga-
ton actually ceases. This conference
insurance board take over this in
surance as 1t is doing on allied
shipments. 1t was the belief of the
chairmen that the rate OF insur-
ance could be made reasonable, Com
mercial clubs OF the state recently
petitioned Secretary of Commerce
William c. Redfield, that navigation
be kept open to the latest date pos
sible in order to relieve the coal
shortage in the northwest. This
brought the response from the sec
retary Of commerce that ice cutters
and lighthouses would operate as far
into the winter as possible, and the
subsequent adoption OF the resolu-
ton that the shippers be protected
by government insurance for the
risks taken in the icy waters.
Development of Lianite Fields.
Resolutions were also adopted en-
couraging ignite mine operators in
North Dakota to develop their mines
so as to bring about the greatest
production and for the people of the
state to use ignite and bituminous
grades OF coal, exclusive of anthraz
cite, especially in homes equipped
with furnaces. It was pointed out
at the conference that the state of
North Dakota could keep itself warm
this winter just alone on its Ignite
production. Little apprehension OF a
coal shortage is feared i'm the west
ern part Of the state, il was said.
because OF the consumers in that
district have been using Ignite for
years ana CRATES are so built for
that particular purpose. The real
difficulty is in the eastern part of the
state or in the Red river valley. An
thracite has been used for years and
i is a problem from the consumer
10 turn from the use of hard to soft
or sub -bituminous products.
Big Demand Somewhere,
a statement was made during the
afternoon by State Fuel Administra-
tor Baker that the railroads have
transported $4,000 more carloads Of
anthracite and 100000 more carloads
or 6ituminous, or 100000 more car
loaos OF coal for the six months in
period Of 1915. Asked if he Ala not
think that on the fact of such a re-
port, was a plain confession of hoard
ing, he did not answer the Question
In the affirmative, but said that there
was big demand somewhere. The
car shortage was not given any at
tention at the conference. but on the
outside-after the meeting-it was
stated that the railroads must fur
nish cars when the government SO
directs. That the railroads are act
ing IN accordance with the govern
ment's demands is seen in recent
shipments of coal to points in North
relief from the coal famine. The
matter was reported to the district
ehairmen who took the proposition
up with the state fuel administration
and then the federal fuel Commission
with the result that shipments a.
high as two carloads have been
rushed TO certain towns. Other
towns have made appeals and the
matter is now being given the att |
tention Of the fuel administration at
Washington.
No Corporation.
One Of the principal points brought
out at the conference was the state
ment that the people OF the norEh-
west do not know the first principle 1
OF team work. or cooperation. The Il
war; Is was pointed out, win teach /
the northwest q lesson and that Ii Il
cannot always depend upon nature to
bring the needs to the door OF the
consumer. Cooperation on the part i
Of the consumer with the retail coal 4
dealer, cooperation on the part Of Il
the jobber with the dealer in hand i
ling early orders, are all points which /
must be worked out and which the 4
district chairmen believe. win finally
adjust themselves with little difIicul- /
ty when this lesson Of cooperation
is learned. Selfish personal interest /
is one OF the big barriers against
team work. II Is a fact and an es-
tablished one. that when there fs a /
shortage Of one particular product
not only coai-that the consumer
races TO get his supply and some
times exceeds the very amount that 1
viii tide him over. Fargo and the i
northwest have been spectators 10
two such dramas this fail, one per-
tanning 70 the sugar famine early 4
(Contfnned on nare e.