Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-09
COAL famine.
STARES IDAHO
IN The FACE
While More Fuel Delivered
to State So Far This Year
Than Last, Consumption
Greater.
Secretary to Federal Fuel
Administrator Says Fully
100 Towns Now Without
Coal Critical Here-Me-
ridian Hard Hit.

W" vi AvANc1A AASAS S'&S
ridian Hard Hit.
What gives promise of becoming one
of the most serious coal famines in the
history of the state is now squarely
staring Idaho in the face.
There are today fully 100 towns with
out anywhere near an adequate sup
ply of coal, many families being en-
tirely out and unable to secure the
black diamonds while others only have
a limited supply.
CONSUMPTION of coal by factories.
etc. and of railroads is 80 per cent
higher in Idaho than it was a year
ago The Oregon Short Line, one OF
the biggest carriers operating In the
state, is practically without storage
coal This is true also of many other
large coal consuming concerns.
California, which secured large
supply of foreign coal, lis practically
dependent upon the Utah mines. This
is taking away from Idaho part OF the
supply that formerly came to this state.
Labor is scarce and high.
MORE COAL RECEIVED.
The records of the public utilities
commission of this state show that
there has been more coal delivered In
Idaho from the mines up to the pres
ent time this year than there was last
In November Idaho received total of
917 cars. over 100 cars have been
received so far this month.
Meridian has been hard hit by the
coal shortage. serious condition ex-
lists there. Emmett was without coal
until a carload brought some relief.
Murphy and Silver City were in the
same condition. Gooding and many
other towns have suffered.
1.-The situation is very serious" said
G. f. Elmer, secretary to Federal Fuel
Administrator F. r. Gooding. 'In some
communities where there Is a coal
shortage and they have been able here
tofore to secure sagGorush even the
latter is now gone. Many families in
cities and towns >are without fuel of
any kind
CONDITIONS IN BOISE.
partial survey of coal on hand in
Boise was made by Mayor Hays, upon
request 1t Fuel Administrator Gooding.
1t was found in the bins of coal deal
ers. there was some 400 tons at the
time of the survey several days ago.
This week he intends taking up the
survey in Boise in the business and
resident section to learn just the
amount of coal in the bins here.
Since the survey of the coal deal
ers, however, the supply has been ex-
hausted and Saturday evening only
two companies in Boise had coal. one
had small amount of mine run and
the other had coal, but declared it
vas all sold.
SERIOUS AT MERIDIAN.
THERE ARE 80 FAMILIES IN
MERIDIAN WHO HAVE NOT GOT
ENOUGH COAL TO LAST THEM
UNTIL MONDAY" That statement
was made Saturday by w. H. Johns
of Meridian, who has made coal sur
yey of Meridian for the state fuel ad-
ministration. He complains because
30 much coal is being diverted to
formers. He took this matter up with
the fuel administrator and received
the following:
Gooding, Ida, Dec. 6. 1917. w. H
Johns, Meridian, Idaho. Dear Sir:
Replying to your favor of the 9Th:
agree with you thoroughly that the
schools must be kept running. What
! have tried to do Mr.. Johns, is to stil
up the people SO that those who have
conveyances. can go to the forests
where 1t is possible, and get wood sc
as to relieve the coal situation as much
as possible, so that we can better take
49, h. a.
town who have no possible chance tc
secure fuel of this kind and have t.
depend entirely on coal or wood tina,
is shipped in by rail.
II the people will only help them
selves a little / believe that we will
be able to pull through the winter, il
1t Is not too severe. without a grea
deal Of suffering. II they would onl,
remember that the country Is in wal
and that coal is the most vital force
Of the nation and that every industry
Is running full-blast Coal that wa.
shipped here from Australia has beer
discontinued so that you can under
ytand why the shortage is.
I am sure that IL the farmers coult
be made to see this in the right light
z that they would be quite willing to d.
everything possible to relieve the sit
uation SO that our schools and thos,
who are depending entirely on coal
could be amply supplied. Unless tn,
situation Is improved, we may have 4,
30 some radical things before the win
ter Is over in order to get through
without intense suffering.
1. Very respectfully.
F. r. GOODING.
Federal Fuel Administrator for
4 Idaho.