El Nuevo mexicano., 1918-03-14
tFi t
Coal Production and
Suggested Way Out
washington star

washington STAR
Bituminous coal production in this coun-
try. at the present rate, indicates a short
age at the end of the year Of 10000, 900 tons,
compared with the output Of 1917 and Of
72,OOO, 900 tons compared with ahe output
Of 1915. Unless the production can be very
materially increased the United States is
facing a coal famine next winter, regard.
less of whether the railroads are able to
dirstibute the visible supply or not
Figures compiled By the National Coal
Association show an alarming fuel situation
which not only could be precipitated into
another coal famine by a few days Of cold
weather, but. which, unless fesnediet makes
a coal famine next winter inevitanN, The
production Of bitumipous coal during the
first two months of 1916 amounted to- 81,
1909 tons, and for the same period Oh
1917 it was 49,, 100,lS8 tons. The actual fig
ures up to February 8, added to a liberal.
estimate for the remainder of the month,
show a total production for the irststwo
months OF this year OF approximately g.
100000 tons. -asqez4
Car shortage is the cause assigned for
this tremendous falling off in production.
Mines were obliged to shut DOWN because.
they could not get empties to loads In the
central West Virginia field alone, 1t is stat
ed, during the seventeen working days end
ing February rs an average of 6.312 men
we're idle every day. Another West vir-
ginia field reports an average of 5,240 men
idle each day for a ffteenrday period. Other
fields suffered similarly. And during this
time there were thousands of empty coal
cars awaiting transportation to the mines,
but they could not be moved because Of the
cold weather and because of the preferen-
tial movement of thousands of empty box
cars for grain loading in the West.
h Situation is one which demands inn
mediate attention and a practical solution,
1t ranks in Importance with the food situa-
ton and the military situation. 1t involves
the production of coal and the distribution
OF coal as two separate and distinct propo-
sitions. The commercial handling Of coal
contemplates loading the output direct from
the mines to the car. Dumping the coal
in piles for loading at a later time is not
considered at a modern %colliery, for the
reason that the time and lobor Of rehandl
ing it would eat up the profits, and also no
provision is made at the tipple for storing
the output in piles. Consequently the com
mercial method is to load the coal on
freight cars as 1t comes from the mines,
and if the cars are not available for loading,
the mnes must close down.
With a coal famine staring the country in
the face. these commercial methods must
be modified to meet the situation. The
mines should be kept in operation ,~continu-
otsly and every effort made to increase the
output, III 1t is impossible for the railroad
administration to supply cars daily, some
provision must be made for storing the out
put and loading 1t for shipment when the
cars are available. The time for passing
the blame back and forth between the coal
operators, the railroads and the weather bu-
reau has passed. The coal must be dug
out Of the ground. If the railroads we're
working at 100 per cent. efficiency in dis
tributing fuel, the United States would
still be confronted With a coal shortage
next winter, based upon the present rate Of
production.
The government should go into the coal
BUSINESS itself and stand by the purchaser
of all coal produced which the operators
oannat distribute at once. The government
price of coal should be increased I'd a point
where it will tempt men Of small means to-
open new mining operations. The wagon
mine that helpful feeder Of localities, must
be ~reestablished. The first object should be
to get the coal out Of the ground; its distri-
button, OF equal Importance, then becomes
the great question. One thing the fuel ad.
ministration should not forget-tha country
will not accept any excuses for a coal fam,
inc next winter,