The sun., 1918-08-06
ANTHRACITE SUPPLY
NOT YET ASSURED
Will Depend Upon Weather
and Number Of Miners Who
Keep Working.
EAST WILL NEED MORE
Distant Points Being Stocked
First: Waste Must
Be Avoided.
BY NJ. ID. EDMONDS.
ARTICLE III.

ARTICLE III.
PorrsvIILE, Pa. Aug. always with
the understanding that the weather Is
not going to be unduly severe and that
the number Of workers in the mines will
be maintained at the level held on July
Is, there will be adequate amounts OF
anthracite distributed In all legitimate
consuming districts for the coming win
ter There won't be any to waste. but
there will be enough under the provisos
noted above.
Philadelphia. which got 2,350.ooo tons
from April 1. 1915. to April /. 1917, is
booked for $500. 900 tons during the cur
rent coal year ending April 1. 1919. The
fact that shipments to Philadelphia have
been low up to date does not bear upon
the situation. The allotment will come
through. mine operators say. X they can
maintain their working forces. So far
as II can be foretold now nobody will
be frost bitten In his own home next
winter unless the policy OF robbing the
mines Of their men Is continued.
There has been an admirable system
Of anthracite distribution evolved by the
hard coal committee consisting OF w. J.
Richards, s. d. Warmer and Joseph b.
Dickson. chairman. These experienced
coal men have tackled the problem in
businesslike way. which Is going to 90
far to prevent coal hogging by i'm
Fortunate retailers in every district
where anthracite Is sold.
East's Allotment Increased.
This committee has figured upon a
total Of 54.345,7s3 tons OF domestic sizes
rs the available civilian supply for the
coal year. an increase OF about per
cent. over the 1916-l9l7 output. AS
New England and the Atlantic States
have boosted their population greatly in
creased supplies OF hard coal have been
allotted to these districts. New England
will get 1890 per cent more than in
19l6-l9l7 and the Atlantic States will
get 1859 pc crent. more. Pennsylvania
will get 1926 per cent. more. States
south OF Virginia are counted out en-
tirey. So are Missouri, Kansas. Ne
braska and Iowa. which got a total OF
s27.965 tons in ls16-19l7. The central
States are cut almost SO per cent and
the Northwest has been cut 12.lS per
cent. Canada has been reduced $50 per
cent
10 govern the movement of this coal
the hard coal operators rave compiled
an exhaustive record showing where
virtually 100 per cent. of the coal went in
le16-l917. the record embracing about
$4,000 communities with the names of
the dealers and the amounts shipped 20
them in the coal year ended April l..
1917. Allotments for this year are based
upon that record, with the necessary in
creases, and complete records are kept OF
the shipments to each handler Of coal.
Any dealer who may make an unjustified
complaint to the fuel authorities-ani
there were dozens who did so last winter
will have to be prepared to combat ac-
curate official figures. giving dates and
amounts shipped both this year and in
l9l6-1917.
Distant Points supplied.
Naturally. the hard coal people are
working in from the outside OF their dis
trbution circle. The distant points arc
being supplied now. so that the short
hauls will be the only ones remaining
when winter really comes. New England
Canada and the Northwest are. of course.
the first taken care OF. Just as natu-
rally. Philadelphia will be among the
later districts, and for a while not much
more than enough coal for current need
Is likely to come down.
That Is the reason why some people
who needed the call OF the Fuel Admin
istraton to order coal e,rly still have
empty bins. Coal consumption is based
upon an entire years production. and IL
Doesn't need very keen mind to see
that II everybody orders coal April I
the great majority will have to wait
days, weeks and even months until that
coal is mined and prepared
Extra care is being taken at the mines
that no coal shall 20 to waste. Any bod Y
who cares to visit toe GreenouGh col
Iiery at Marion Heights can see great
lumpa OF bone" or Goa, and rock
mingled. run down to a table where a
workman CRACKS out the coal by hand
"Phpbc Snow departed for season
when the Goyernment tocks over the
railroads and put the clamps on adver-
Using. and even now smoky btuminou7
is being burned along the road OF an.
thracite. 1t must be recorded that
coal dealers in the country at large are
generating with the anthracite distribu
tion authorities. There are no hysteri
cal calls for coal and no rush Of mail
seeking Information.
Conservation Necessary.
Naturally the distribution committee
locks with approval on sound method.
Of conserving the coal shipped out. for
while 1t 10 hoped and expected that the
supply will be sufficient there will be nc
surplus. Fuel administrators realize
this, and it Ia reported that in New
ENGLAND the Administrator has beer
considering setting date for starting
furnac" fires, putting it as late as No.
vCmber ar even December.
Even in a serious situation there are
some CONT aspects. A man from q
Southern state hurried up to the har
COIL regions TO inquire in person wher
his town was going to get coal lie wa.
asked the counter question as to wher
his community was going to ship tn,
prop timbers which the mines needed
His reply was that it was hard to ge
workers down In the lumber country. i
WIS gently pointed out to him that Goa
mines have the same trouble, and that 1
fuel was urgently needed II would be
good idea TO organize a town wood cut
ting bee along tho lines OF a countr,
barn raising and cut a sufficient amour
or hrewood to keep the town warm.
The Miners Point of View.
No picture of to-day's conditions 4,
the coal region can be accurate unless 1
takes into account the miners point o
view. Like the head OF King Charlie
and the memorial, the labor situation Il
always reached In any discussion OF an,
phase Of the coal problem Here is tn,
statement OF the leading figure In tn
hard coal industry. w. ]. Richards, pres
ident OF the Philadelphia and Readin,
Coal and Iron Company:
Il have nothing but praise for thu
men. Christmas New Years, Decora
ton Day and the Fourth OF July are III,
only days the mine have lost since las
November. The morale IL very high"
And what Mr., Richards says IL true
W the men had not made efforts as the,
have done the loss OF la bor already ex
un ha.. 49,