The Bismarck tribune., 1918-06-11
$1,00Q,000.00
CORPORATION TO
HANDLE LlGNlTE
Consolidation of Producing, Dis
tributing and Consuming
Interests Proposed
SEEK FUEL INDEPENDENCE
Would Make North Dakota Self
Supporting so Far as Coal
Is Concerned

A complete plan for the organiza-
ton of million dollar corporation to
promote the production and distribu-
ton of Ignite coal in North. Dakota
will be submitted to the state council
of defense at its executive meeting
Friday The plan contemplates the
issuance of million shares Of stock
at one dollar the share. The cor
poration is to be composed Of men,
bers of the state council Of defense,
Ignite producers, retailers, jobbers,
wholesalers and consumers of coal,
transportation men and others who
are anxious TO avert fuel famine
next winter.
" May Enter Many Lines
The form Of incorporation proposed
would permit the North Dakota Coun-
Gil of Defense corporation, as the COM
pany is to be known, to engage in
whatever enterprise and businesses
are necessary to further the produc-
ton of Ignite coal and its distribution
to the people of the state of North
Dakota, or WHICH may further the
production of food for our army and
navy" The tentative plan would con-
stitute the governor and other men,
bers Of the state council Of defense,
with Dean E. j. Babcock of the>col-
leeg of engineering of the state uni
versity, and Attorney Benton Baker,
executive secretary of the North Da-
kota fuel administration, trustees of
the proposed corporation. These
trustees, by virtue of the corporation,
may engage in the business of trans
portation of merchandise, mail or ex-
press matter; or in whole or in part
in supplying light, heat or power, or
other public service; or manufacture,
sell or-repair machines, equipment or
supplies or other articles used by cor
porations of either or both classes
above named or engage in the busi-
ness OF advertising, in the cars or
upon the premises OF railways or rail-
road companies, and it may borrow
money for any of the purposes afOre-
said. .. .
"A %r May Issue Bonds. ..
Upon authority of two-thirds of the
members, the trustees may issue
bonds, cucumber or dispose of shares
of stock, securities or other property
from time to time held by them. The
corporation will pay no dividends, and
it will devote the entire net receipts
and profits to such patriotic purposes
as from time to time shall be deemed
advisable by the trustees.
The trust so created shall continue
for 21 years, unless it shall be termin-
ated earlier by vote of twO-thirds OF
the stockholders. ..
s.: As Patriotic Duty.
The North Dakota Ignite industry
at the present time is controlled by
great number of small, scattered in
tbrests, between whom there has s>heen
little opportunity for cooperation. AS
a result, the council of defense feels,
the production of Ignite and its con-
sumption in North Dakota has not
developed to the degree which it
should. In view of the fact that all
eastern anthracits and bituminous
Goals promise to be. needed in the
production of munitions, in furnishing
motive power for transportation and
in the production Of heat east of the
Mississippi at least during the course
O fthe war, the defense council be-
lieves one of the greatest patriotic
duties it can perform for North Da-
kota is to make it practically inde-
pendent OF these outside sources OF
supply through the development of
its own feul resources. This, the
council urges. can best be done by
amalgamating the coal proudcers of
North Dakota in one large corpora
tion, in which the elements OF pro-
duction, distribution and consumption
win be joined and harmonized. Such
a corporation, the council believes,
would be in position to procure more
publicity and greater cooperation
from all the people, and it is con-
tended that North Dakota, from fuel
standpoint, can in a very short time
be placed on a self-supporting basas.
North Dakota, the United States
geological survey estimates, has 700
billion tons of workable Ignite in
beds of commercial value. No point
i'll North Dakota, Capt. /. P Baker,
federal fuel administrator for North
Dakota. points out, is more than $50
miles distance from one of these lig-
mite fields. and low transportation
has been a factor in favor of ignite.