The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-25
Decrease of 59,531 Tons Shown for Week Ending October 19, Accord
 ing to Reports
CONDITIONS AT ALL
 MINES HAVE BEEN
 EXCEEDINGLY BAD
Not Only Have Miners Been Stricken With Influenza, But Members of Their Families and Many of
 the Doctors Victims

Coal production in the Birmingham district last week was the smallest of any week since the first of July. and fell below the output of the pre- ceding week by about 60,000 tons. This decreased production was due almost solely to the influenza epidemic which has had it's grip on the coal mining dis trict well as the balance of the country the past three weeks. The output in this district for the week ended october 19, according to re- H. c. Selheimer, production manager
 for the fuel administration. was S23,- 1910 tons. compared with 3s2,S41 tons the preceding week, a decrease of b9.- | 5S1 tons.
 l The production for the present week will probably be about the same as last week, though a few thousand tons less would not cause any surprise. Some | of the largest mines In the district have been out of commission for sev- eral days at time and many of them have been closed down for longer pe- riods
 CONDITIONS BAD | Conditions at nearly all of the mines have been exceedingly bad Not only were the miners stricken with the dis ease, but members of their families, and at some places the doctors were laid up for several days with the same trou> ble. In one instance where the company physician was stricken a doctor sent ho vto ta taken sick en route and had to be re-
 moved to local hospital on his arrival here
 Reports to Judge Selheimer yesterday indicated a slight improvement at most of the mines and unless the epidemic
 takes a new hold it is believed that con
 ditions will continue to improve from
 now on.
 1 Judge Selheimer stated yesterday that
 notwithstanding the very low tonnage
 mined last week, and the small output
 of the preceding week, the average for October will be greater than in either April, May or June. and that when
 health conditions are again normal pro- duction will again reach high water
 mark Production was nearing the max mum when the influenza epidemic started, and 1t is believed that the min CTS as soon as they are able to do so, will return to their work with the determination to make up for all lost 1 time.
 Judge Selheimer will announce his selection of an assistant to take charge of the coke end of fuel production in day or two, and then as soon as con ditions reach normal again an intensive campaign will be begun to increase the output of that product to the maximum.
 IMPROVE QUALITY Under the new plan to be put in ef- feet in this and all other districts where coke is made it is believed that not only will there be an improvement in pro- duction, but in quality as we'll Work ing under high tension to get out the greatest possible tonnage the same care in mining and washing the coal former y observed has not been exercised with the result that the quality of coke dur ing recent months has been of an in ferior quality, which condition has re- suited in decreased pig iron tonnage from the same tonnage of coke
 When the new plan is under way quotas will be allotted to each mine and each coke plant, and daily records of the output will be posted at the mine or coke plant In this way the men work Ing there will be kept informed as to their performances.
 There is a considerable shortage of steel in the United States needed for war work and as the blast furnaces and steel mills are now running at ap- proximately their capacity, the only way in which the production can be
 increased is by improving the quality of raw materials. including coke.