The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-01-05
WHAT THE COAL MEN SAY
BIG DEMAND EXPLAINS, SHORTAGE

Il Ian ~AAVAA nav - q
Black Diamond. Regardless OF the
high prices ruling in the national
market many western dealers do not
seem to understend why there shonld
be any shortage or coal Tor western,
use and hence why prices should
rise. These retailers say that the
shortage is in the east. This, thcc-
believe, should be no burden upon
them. They cannot understand why
they should be called upon to pay
high prices and hence shoulder
! part of the eastern burdens
t The situation may seem curious,
| but it isn't hard to understand when
! it is once realized that all markets
for coal are, in sense, interde-
pendent That is, the eastern mines
or those In Ohio. Kentucky, western
Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
ship coal both east and west. The
division of tonnage is. in sense,
equal in both directions. This year,
i the east has an extraordinary demand
| for at least 6o,0G0,000 tons. This has
| to he delivered mainly in the seven
months beginning with the first of
| September. 1t is probably safe to
| Say that tIltS dCllduu 10 CNc14 luA 6CA
and amounts to 75,000,0O0 tons.
! The new demand is there and has
ito be met. II it isn't met, eastern
railroads will have TO discontinue
trains and important factories will
have to shut down. This is not going
| to be allowed TO happen. Therefore.
the eastern mines. in order to satisfy
this unnatural demand in their own
territory, are shipping coal into the
east.
The eastern mines. however, can
hot increase their production to any
such extent. Instead, they have to
subtract in rart from shipments
made into The west. The subtrac-
ton will not amount to the gull
81, 100000 to 75,00O,OOO tons, but it
is going to amount to a very con-
! siderable amount Therefore, es east
!. sra coal is withdrawn from the west
fern market, the west has a shortage.
This has to be made up, primarily.
by shipments from Indiana. limos
and the other western states. Even
la 100000 ton excess shipm ent from
these western mines would be big
Fitem in a year when the mines have
car shortage. To make it 10000 900
to 25,00O,O00 and to have the greae-
! G5J Car SuOTtdSc III Tic VI
the country, naturally makes the
western situation extremely intense.
The retailer under the circdm-
stances who believes that the east
ern coal shortage is no concern Of
his and who doesn't take measures
to protect himself is sleeping on ,
bomb with the fuse lighted.
! The Seat Of Trouble.
BY process of deduction and
elimination we have made it clear
and unmistakab1e that the shortage
of coal, primarily, is east of Ha, ris-
burg and Buffalo. We have shonn
that the cause of the shortage IS
the extraordinary demand in that
territory 1t amounted. according to
last weeks figures. to at least So
100000 tons.
Since that time. some additional
figures have come to hand. These
show that the increased consumption
OF coal per year is at least 5000, 900
! tons. 1t is probably 5000 900 tons.
That is to say, there has gone into
coke making thiE year-this was not
considered in last weeks figures
$500, 900 tons of additional eastern
coal in the Connellsville region alone.
This is a clear gain in consumption
since the first of last January. That
is, the production of Connellsyille
coke has increased enough to con-
sumo that much more coal.
All coke making, however, is not
confined to the Connellsville region.
Indeed, that district no longer pro-
duces a clear majority. Mines all
through Pennsylvania and West Vir-
ginia outside the ConnellsvillS district
are equipped with coke ovens. Since
January 1. they have 'been working
to maximum capacity. Therefore,
they have been consuming increased
quantities Of coal.
Further. by-product coke produc-
ton has been growing, as everyone
knows. A year ago, for example,
only working SO per cent. Of the
time. We know of one big battery
of ovens that was working but 40
per cent of capacity. Now they are
'a1l working to 100 per cent. capacity.
A year ago a number OF important
by-product plants such as those at
! Chattanooga, at st. Louis, and at
Terre Haute we're either not In oper-
alton at all, or were running on a
very small scale. This year they are
in operation and are running to 100
per cent. Of capacity.
II you will take the growth in the
manufacture Of coke in the Connells-
vile region as a criterion-this calls
for at least 100000 tons Of add
tional coal-it is perfectly safe to
say that the increased use of coal in
the manufacture Of coke is at least