South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-26
COAL FIELDS
LAID IN ZONES
TOGIVERELIEF
Each Producing District AS
signed to Certain COnSum-
ing LoCaIity-WiII Save
Long Cross HaulS.
Assoelated Press Service

Associated Press Service.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 25.-Divi-
vision of the country's bituminous
coal fields into 20 districts as the
first step toward institutng a zone
system Of coal distribution is under
way by the fuel administration.
Boundaries for seven Of the districts
already have been esta blished and
Fuel Administrator Garfield has
named a representative FOR each.
With the aid OF the railroad ad-
ministration the fuel administration
viii define consuming districts. each
10 be supplied from. one of the pro-
ducing districts. A joint committee
working on the problem probably
viii announce a definite zoning plan
within a few days.
Distribution by zones has been
successfully tried oW in England.
Fuel administration officials say il
viii work just as well everyw here.
saving thousands of miles OF trans
portation and insuring the speediest
possible movement Of coal from the
fEine TO the consumer. II will elimi-
nate 10 a great extent cross hauling.
generally conceded TO be one of the
most uneconomic practices in the
coal industry.
Districts Already Established.
The producing districts already
ostd Olished and the fuel administra-
tons representatives therein are:
southeastern Kentucky, Georgia
and Tennessee. r. Clayton OF
Farlan. Ky: Gauley fields OF West
Virginia on the Baltimore and Ohio
d. Il. Lawson OF Fairmont. w.
Va: Gauiey fields OF West Virginia
on the Chesapeake and Ohio and
part OF the Norfolk and Western
in West Virginia.. H. Land Of
Huntington, W. Va; Alabama
A. Holmes, Birmingham: Indiana
g. G. Hall, Terre Haute; southern
ohio and Mason county. W. Va
W. d. Mckinney; northern Ohio
j. r.. Zerbey.
The district representatives i'm
every instance will he operators OF
men familiar with coal production
They will allot all orders received
from state fuel administrators and
wIli be made responsible for the
prompt movement Of coal out of the
reducing fields All demands for
emergency coaI will go directly TO
them.
Plan Periodical Report
The plan as now contem plated
calls for periodical reports from the
producing district representative
a. To the amount OF coal each dis
l.
I'd over to J. ID. A. Morrow the
coal expert just named by Fuel Ad-
ministrator Garfield as manager of
distribution and appOrtionment. who
will make up budgets for each con-
suming district on reports from
state fuel administrators.
The district Representatives will
not interfere in any way with the
duties of state administrators, but
will be expected 10 assist them. An
thracite coal is not included i'm the
zoning plan because most of il is
mined in a narrow strip OF territory
i'm Pennsylvania
The chief difficulty looked for i'm
administration of the zone system Is
expected 10 come from the demand
for specific grades OF coal Some
districts selling "a particular grade
have found markets far from their
mines and this will have TO be recN-
oned with in working out a prac-
tical plan OF operation.
To Follow states Lines.
The consuming districts will be
formed as nearly as possible alona
state lines Producers i'm a district
serving a specified consuming dis
trict will be permitted To sell i'm nc
other and consumers viii be requir
ed TO purchase only in the districts
serving their territory II a con-
suming district. through its state
fuel administrator. demands more
coal than allotted 20 IT, consump'
ton will have 10 be curtailed unless
the national administration decides
permanent or temporary resdjust-
unents are necessary.
To prevent a situation arisine
next winter similar 10 the one tha'
has lust forced a shutdown OF in
dustries. fuel administration official.
plan 20 create in the summer re-
serves IN every consuming center
These would not be touched eXcep
IN cases Of emergency and then they
would be replaced when the emer
rency was over.