The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-25
THE COAL SITUATION.


There appear to be causes for the
high price of coal other than the
mere cupidity of the producers and
dealers. It is not improbable that
one cause of the market condition is
scarcity and consequent bidding up of
prices by those who are anxious to
supply their own needs regardless of
the requirements of others
In every country which has entered
the war and in every neutral country
of Europe one of the most serious
troubles to which the war has given
rise has been the almost insuperable
difficulty of getting enough coal to
keep the railways and industries run
ming and to keep the people from
freezing The best way for the people
of the United States to secure partial
immunity from coal shortage, says the
Railway Age Gazette, is to conserve
the coal supply. The railways can do
and are doing much to reduce the
consumption and increase the move
ment of coal, but there is limit to
what they can accomplish.
When it is considered that in the
amount of coal moved this year, the
railroads have beaten their best pre-
vious records by % per cent-it will
be seen that if the coal situation is
not satisfactory this is not because the
railways have not been exerting them
selves to the utmost to make it so.
There are several causes of coal
shortage. say the Gazette. Two of the
most important are the following:
First, before the war a large amount
of coal was transported by vessels on
the Great Lakes and in coastwise
service which have since been trans
ferred to other service, with the re-
suit that there has been a very large
increase in the part of the burden of
carrying the country's fuel supply
| which has been thrown upon the rail-
roads. Second, there has been an
enormous increase in the demand for
coal for carrying on the country's in
dustrial and military activities.
TIC. make sure that the great, North
west, for which the amount of coal
loaded into boats at Lake Erie ports
was 2,507.00O tons less during the first
six months of the year than it was
during the first six months of last
year, will be provided with an ade-
quate supply, Howard Elliott, for the
Railroads War board, has suggested
that the federal government make use
of some of the extraordinary powers
recently vested in it, and the govern
ment has taken action accordingly.
In order, however, that the supply
shall be made adequate to the needs
of the entire country, it is desirable
not only that the production and
transportation of coal shall be in.
creased. but also that in all ways that
are reasonably practicable, it's con-
sumption shall be curtailed. The rail.
ways themselves already have made q
good beginning in this direction They
| have reduced their passenger service
at the rate of 2O,000,00O passenger.
train miles year and have other re
auctions in contemplation which will
make the total reduction about 80,
100000 a year. 1t is estimated tina
this will effect a saving of abou
100000 tons of coal a year. TIL,
railways are the largest consumers O.
coal, and perhaps they should and will
have to go still farther in curtailin;
their passenger service as a patriotic
measure for the saving of fuel.