Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-10-21
FUEL SHORTAGE IS
BECOMING APPARENT
situation Attacked From all Angles
by Administration May Result
In Industrial Changes.

The war program Of the nation de-
J tnands eighty million more tons Of
coal this year than last
We are calling for eight million
! tons Of steel ships and to manufac-
iurc and deliver the steel for them
VIII take II million tons OF COHl.
Three million tons are needed to
carry our average monthly delivery
OF troops 10 Europe. and four million
tons 10 transport their supplies. one
hour OF intensive artillery action at
the front uses up $500 tons OF steel,
which II takes 72O0 tons Of coal to
produce. TO manufacture and trans
port the sixty million shells that were
fired by the French in no battle OF
Ncrdun, called for the consumption
Of nearly nine million tons OF coal.
Tho demands for coal this year
have increased in American Indus
trial plants Is per cent. In gas ana
electric utilities 10 per cent In ship
ping 80 per cent, In the railroads Z
per cent. ana In domestic consump-
ton - per cent
Labor shortage Apparent.
II has been impossible TO provide
for these lncTcascs by Increased pro
duCtiOn. There have been 224 new
mines opened and weekly production
has risen as high ns a ~ per cent in
crease over the corresponding week
Of 1917. but there has not been the
necessary mine labor available to
meet tho whole demand ana there
have not hocn coal cars enough 20
keep tho coal moving from tho mines.
In an attempt to meet tho deficit,
tho fuel administration has carried
out thorough campaign OF saving.
II has undertaken 10 inspect tho
country's 100000 steam producing
plants and hopes to save thereby
twenty million tons OF coal a year.
AZ II result OF this inspection, I'm
Connecticut alone eighty plants arc
saving 10000 tons annually one
plant IN Syracuse is making a sav-
ing that will amount to 5000 tons
yoar. In tho city OF Chicago three
pmnts arc saving $4,000 tons by sub
sututing electricity and water power
for steam.
by the Introduction Of "skip-stop"
schedules on all street railways. II
II expected that another million and
half tons may he saved. Further
savings have been made by consoli-
dating ice plants, small power plants
etc, by reducing outdoor lighting
and advertising signs. and by obtain
Ing greater economy In hotels, Of
ficcs. apartment houses and public
buildings II is estimated that n
million tons will he saved by cam
paign to substitute tungston electric
lamps for tho less economical carbon
fllamcnt lamps. And by process
Of distillation at low temperature.
II has been found possible to extract
valuable oils and by-products from
coal and to make from the residue
an excellent smokeless coal in
hriquettes, with a great saving of
fuel.
Fuel has been conserved for essen
tial war industries by limiting the
amount used in brewing, in green
houses. In tho manufacture of wall
paper. pianos, automobiles. building
materials. etc Exports to Canada
have been reduced by agreement
wish tho Canadian fuel controller
BY "a zone system OF distribution, tho
railroad haul has been made as
short "A possible and the congestion
OF traffic prevented. BY providing
for the ordering Of the winter sup
ply of household coal in the summer
months, mines have been kept busy
that would ordinarily slacken down
In summer for want OF a market,
and the winter load of coal on the
railroads has been lessened.
During tho coal famine last win
ter, much inferior coal was tmlned
and sold To prevent n repetition Of
that abuse. vigorous inspection has
heen established, coal companies
have been fined. and cars have been
denied to the mines that persisted in
shipping impurities.
In short. the fuel administration
ls attacking our coal problem from
every possible angle. 1t is increas-
ing production and reducing CON
sumption without any disastrous dis.
arrangement of our industrial bal
ancc. II Is evident. however, that
the greatest economies will have to.I
be practiced this winter. in order to
avoid another serious shortage.