Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-19


ment in other fields will be increased
materially If Iowas mines are not re-
opened within few days with the re-
suit that coal production for the en-
tire year will be reduced and many
Iowans will be unable to obtain fuel
next winter.
West Virginia coal operators are
known to have sent representatives to
Appanoose county mining camps to in
duce idle miners to leave Iowa and
enter the West Virginia mines, prom
Using steady work at good wages. Mr..
Rhys fears the labor shortage will con-
stitute a serious problem next fall and
winter unless conditions are improved
speedily.
The mine inspector, in his warning
to Iowa coal users published in The
Courier yesterday, predicted that the
output of coal from Iowa mines for
1918 will not exceed the total for
1917 and expressed doubt that 1t will
equal the 1917 record, which was al
most 100000 tons in excess Of the
1916 output.
Mr.. Rhys does not share the optim-
ism of State Fuel Administrator Web
ster, who was quoted recently in a pre-
diction that the Iowa output in, 1918
would exceed that of 1917 by 1000, 900
tons.
Illinois coal Is being used on the
lines Of the Burlington and Milwaukee
railroads where Iowa coal was used
until April 1. The Illinois coal is pro-
duced In mines owned by the railroad
companies and hauled hundreds Of
miles to division points because the
railroads coal contracts for the fiscal
year beginning April have not been
made.
RAILROADS, WILL NOT PAY PRICE
Railroad officials In Ottumwa deny
knowledge Of the reasons for the sud
den break In the relations between
their companies and the coal operators
whose mines for many years have
yielded fuel for locomotives. These
mines are idle now and the operators
say they have been compelled to sus-
pend production because railroad pur.
chasing agents. claiming authority
from Director General McAdoo, refuse
to contract for coal except at prices
materially lower than those which
Fuel Administrator Garfield has or
dained for railroads and the public
alike.
Although this condition has existed
for more than two weeks there are no
indications from Washington that the
director of the railroads and the fuel
administrator have discussed it in an
effort to speed coal production. Mean
while, the first week in April showed
a decrease of 100000 tons of btu
minous coal output as compared with
the last week in March. This loss Of
coal production, which inevitably
must be reflected throughout the coun-
try in the form Of a fuel shortage next
winter, is equivalent to one-sixth OF
the entire output Of all Iowa's mines
in 1917.
PREDICTS COAL FAMINE
DR.. Garfield, in q statement issued
this week, charged the loss in produc-
ton to the failure of railroads to sup
ply cars at mines, and predicted a coal
famine next winter unless conditions
should be improved. He failed to men
ton the paralysis Of mining fields due
to the disagreement over railroad coal
contracts although his explanation Of
the situation was direct charge
against the governments railroad ad-
m1nistration.
The situation in Iowa is serious. Not
only is a loss in production being re-
corded now, together with a monetary
loss for coal operators and mine work
ers, but the departure of miners for
other fields indicates a reduced output
in Iowa whenever the mines shall be
reopened.