The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-11-20
COAL SHORTAGE DUE TO
DROP IN MINE CAPACITY
BY John c. Mellett.

Il. N >. Oldll OOTIeSpOHuenlJ
WASHINGTON. Nov. 19.-Reasons
why your furnace and your neighbours
may yawn for coal and receive little
or none this winter are set forth in
statistics just announced by the de-
partment of the interior. Unusual de-
mands by the big war munitions fac
tories have depleted supplies, and
heavy exports have further cut into
domestic production. But the real
truth of the matter is that the coal
mines of the country have not pro-
duced the amount of coal they can pro-
duce, and the railroads have not car
ried it.
The interior department checks
amounts mined tons carried by the
railroads, number of strikes and their
effect on production, and various other
factors tending TO limit production
During the fall months, September
and October, the nations coal mines
produced from a minimum of 60.6 per
cent of their capacity, up to 75.4 per
cent. Strikes in Indiana, Illinois, Mis-
souri,, Kansas and Oklahoma had a de-
pressing effect, for when they were
at their height the percentage of ca
pacity production was at its lowest.
Production in western Pennsylvania
reached S3.5 per cent of capacity as
its maximum efficiency. Illinois
reached II per cent, but fell to 44.5.
Indiana's highest efficiency was 74.9
per cent. Alabama fields were most
highly efficient setting a mark of
92.9 per cent of capacity. The low
mark was made in the Kentucky and
Tennessee fields, where at one time,
for several weeks, mines worked at
only 10 per cent and dropped for one
week to 6.8 per cent of capacity.
The task before DR.. II. A. Garfield,
United States fuel administrator, is
shown in a table setting forth causes
for failure of mines to operate up to
their full capacity
Car shortage was the worst factor
affecting production, it being respon-
sible in heavy degree for failure of
many of the mines to approach their
maximum production. Percentages Of
loss due to car shortage ran from
per cent in Alabama, to 4O.3 per cent
in the Fairmont. West Virginia dis
trict. States where car shortage caus-
ed more than 20 per cent loss were
Ohio. West Virginia, Maryland, Kan
sas, Missouri and Arkansas. DR.. Gar
field has the assistance of the rail-
roads war board and the car service
commission in meeting car shortage
Labor troubles were the second
most disastrous factor, the damage
being heaviest in Illinois, where at
one time a loss of 45.S per cent re-
suited from strikes. Arkansas lost
24.6 per cent from labor troubles, and
Indiana 142 per cent. Only three
other districts reported losses over
10 per cent due to strikes. Other
causes listed did trivial damage to the
whole coal output, although mine dis
abilities reduced Indiana's output 1913
per cent at one juncture and hurt Ok
lahoma's production to the extent of
ZIG per cent.
In meeting labor troubles, Dr. Gar
field has the assistance OF several
agencies, such as the Department Of
Labor, the United Mine Workers Of
america. etc. His chief weapon to
compel production, however, is his
penalty clause Government regu-
lated prices and wages, both higher
than normal, will be available to OPP
orators and miners only when they
sign an agreement not to stop produc-
ton during the war. Violation of the
agreement carries a heavy penalty.
DR.. Garfield expects this penalty to
compel consistent operation and
much higher percentage of produc-