The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-09-06
NEW ENGLAND COAL FAMINE
Fly HOLLAND

|
 New York. September 5-(special.)
 The northwest is not the only region ir which grave apprehension prevails lest there be a fuel famine in the fall and winter. For the situation is about as bad in New England and some of those who have looked into the conditions as they now exist in New England are l fearful lest the shortage of coal be more severe in that section than in the north west.
 | They base that opinion upon the fact that the demand of the federal govern ment for ships has been so great that boat transportation along the Atlantic coast has been much diminished. New England has received In the past no small part of her coal supplies by means of boats or barges lowed from New York or other terminals to New Eng land ports. Moreover the New Haven Railroad company is so greatly occupied with transportation service which the government requires that it is not able to meet, even were it possible to get all the coal that is needed, transportation demands.
 Another reason given for the serious situation in New England is found in the fact that Canada Is taking large quantities of coal which in normal times would go to New England. Canada is in need of coal and is willing to pay a sufficiently high price for it to make it's sale to Canadian industries certain.
 There has been some complaint that the coal operators and coal roads have been for certain reasons strongly dis posed to favor Canada, and to discrimi- nate against the United States But the explanation of the moving of coal to Canada is to be found in the high price which it commands in the Cam adian market.
 While a shortage of fuel in the north west would considerably and perhaps seriously impair food production next year, shortage of coal in New England will not so seriously affect agriculture as it will impair the very great indus trial activities that are now in progress in three at least of the New England states. The government itself is inter- ested in securing as large an output
  has recently placed contracts for nearly 2,000, ,ooOooO cartridges with one of the Bridgeport manufactures, but the making of these cartridges would be seriously interfered with. as well as the manufacture of other munitions of war which are now being produced in Con- necticut and Massachusetts in enormous quantities, if there be shortage of fuel coal.
 This economic embarrassment which New England Is now facing curiousy enough comes at time when the great transportation system of New England is also in embarrassment of kind which may not be removed until April of next year. if it is then. The quota tions in the securities market for New Haven Railroad company stock have been lowering around 30 for sometime. This, in spite of the fact that the New England railroad system by means of the wonderfully constructed bridge over Hellgate is now in physical contact with the Pennsylvania system whereby through trains between Boston and Washington may be operated without change of cars. Furthermore, by means or some newly acquired facilities the movement of freight beteween New England and the south as we'll as the southwest is much more economically handled than was the case a few years ago.
 In April of next year the New Haven Railroad company must meet in some way notes aggregating $45,C0O,00o. No one can tell, however, how far war and finan- ciai conditions may affect the market or the disposition of bankers to lend the money with which these notes can be taken up.
 The foundation upon which the newly organized New Haven system is based (new in the sense that many changes were necessary. by reason of the dissolu- ton by the government of the system) ought to result by and by if the notes due in April are met in complete rehabili- tation of the system. This new organi- zation has already made it possible to perfect economies equal to if not greater than those secured by any other of the roads in eastern territory excepting the coal roads. For example. under the new operating methods, the New Haven's earnings per freight mile now amount to $6.42. This figure is spoken of with ad- miration among railway managers, for 1t is a very high figure and it would be satisfactory to the managers of any railroad in the United States
 This result reflects the new spirit of cooperation and change of the public attitude toward the system. There was long campaign of education whereby shippers were informed of the conditions. Then. too, commercial organizations in