The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-25
COAL SITUATION
GROWING ACUTE
IN MANY TOWNS
No Break in Hard Coal
Shortage Sighted In
Fargo
APPEAL MADE
FROM ASHLEY
Blakemore Will Ask Roads
To Furnish Him
Data

Fargo coal dealers report tha'
while the mild weather of the last
few days has lessened the demands
oversoId and no break in the hard
coal shortage is in sight.
The Northern Pacific reported to-
day that not a car OF hard coal hac
been shipped into the city over iti
line since Mopday. No report was
forthcoming from the Great North
ern.
To Gather information
Fuel Administrator Robert Blake
more will ask the railroad companies
with lines in Fargo to supply him
with information on the number Of
cars of coal received in this city and
bound for other points in his dis
trict that he might keep a more ac-
curate check on the coal situation
while working in cooperation with
the state fuel administrator. The
eoai companies will also be asked 10
sdnplY bir4 with information WheT
shipments are received.
Cities Appealing For Coal.
Following the appeals from the
larger cities OF the state, the towns
and villages have commenced to cry
hard coal shortage. Appeals have
been made to the state railroad and
warehouse commission by States
Atty. Hugo p. Remington of Ashley
Mcintosh county relative to the acute
situation in that county. His report
to the commission reveals that an
investigation recently made shows
that not one resident in fifteen has
any hard coal and those who have
some in their bins have not more
than one-third as much as they will
need to carry them through the win
ter. His appeal TO the commission
was to get relief as soon as possible.
The matter was turned over to State
Fuel Administrator Isaac p. Baker
OF Bismarck.
Sees Suffering Ahead.
There is a situation in this county
which, unless remedied within the
next few days, is going to cause a
great deal Of actual suffering" writes
the states attorney to the railroad
commission. I'VE are without coal.
Some coal dealers inform that the
railroads report that our town al
ready has had more coal than last
year but the fact remains we are
without coal. We are told that the
orders are to defect all shipments
or hard coal from North Dakota on
the ground that North Dakota can
burn Ignite. In the flrst place this
is not the truth. We cannot burn
Ignite. Practically all the heat ar
rangements consist Of hard coal
burners and Ignite burners cannot
be obtained in sufficient numbers to
enable the people to change from
hard coal to Ignite"
Ignite Relieves Situation.
The acute coal shortage which
Edgeley has faced for the last ten
days was relieved somewhat We'd
nesday morning when a carload Of
Ignite was delivered in the city and
distributed to those who were in the
greatest need of 1t. A survey Of the
situation in LaMouTe county shows
that there is not a ton Of hard coal
i'm the entire county and only 1,945
tons soft coal. The normal supply
for this time OF the year in LaMoure
county is said to be about 4,l10 tons
of soft coal and 4,060 tons Of hard
coal.
Grand Forks is facing what ap-
pears to be an exceedingly serious
shortage. No predictions would be
made I'm Grand Forks yesterday as to
when shipments would be received.
(Coutfnued on page g.