The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-21
j. s. MUST Save
FIFTY MILLION
TONS OF COAL
Only Strictest Economy Can
Prevent Coal Shortage Next
Winter.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. 21-Not
even the most drastic restrictions and
closest economies will prevent a coal
shortage next winter. it is feared by
officials OF the fuel administration.
The shortage, though 1t will be In bit
luminous supply affecting manufactur-
ing. will be felt in some degree by the
domestic consumer unless the country
manages to save between 50,000,000
and 60,000,000 tons.
With weekly requirement of pro-
duction in bituminous coal equal to
more than the record weekly output
from now until the end of the coal
year, March 81, 1919, the last record
ed weeks shipments show the fourth
successive week of purchasing output.
The decrease was equal to 1,000,-
900 tons net, or 7.6 percent below the
record Of the week Of July 13, when
production reached 13.2S6.00O net tons.
Cannot Make Up Deficit.
An output Of 14,500000 net tons
week for the rest of the summer
months would be necessary to make
up the deficit to date, and the fuel ad-
minstration admits that increased pro-
duction cannot make up that deficit,
particularly as the estimates of con-
sumption are increasing daily through
new war industries or expansion of ex-
listing war fuel needs.
The loss of production for the week
OF August 10, which is fairly repre-
sentative of the conditions generally
from week to week, is attributed as
follows: Car shortage, rs percent;
labor shortage, including strikes, 416
percent; mine disability AZ percent;
no market, OF percent; all other
causes, 13 percent.
The production Of anthracite, which
is included for domestic consumption,
also shows a slight decrease, but
there is little likelihood that it wiz
not exceed for the year the produc-
ton for last year.
New Record for 1917.
Last year the United States con-
sumed 650000,000 net tons of COAL
100,000,000 of anthracite and 550,O0O,-
900 bituminous and the production fro
that consumption was 50,000,000 tons
more for the year than ever had been
produced annually in the United
States.
This year there must be produced
at least 735,000,000 net tons to meet
the estimated requirements to date
and these requirements are increas-
ing. with no prospect of appreciate
pruning, no prospects Of sufficiently
increased production and only the
prospect of cutting off coal from the
less essential consumers in part or
entirety that the war work may go on.
The war industries board estimates
for steel needs alone for government
work a total of 110,000,000 tons of
bituminous coal, at least fifth Of the
total consumption Of bituminous coal
last year, based on the American war
needs for 22,OOO,000 tons of steel, each
ton Of steel requiring five tons of coal
for its complete manufacturing and
transportation.
Weekly Coal Deficits.
On July 20. following the record
week of production of July 10, there
was deficit of 645,000 tons a week,
or 0,65l 900 tons total. In order to
make up the total then there would
have had to be a production of 12,472,
600 net tons weekly for the rest of
the coal year. Now the required
weekly production to meet the deficit
would have to be 100000 net tons.
Bituminous coal production for the
week ending August 10, was greater
than that of the corresponding week
OF last year by about 100000 tons
The weeks production amounted to
1924, 900 net tons.