The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-04-16
AND
Fuel OFFICES
Can NOT AGREE
Differ Widely Upon Vital
Question of Coal Car
~ Supply.
ROADS Want CHEAP FUEL
Say It Is Fair to Use Cal
Supply to Bring This
About, !:

WASHINGTON, April 1e.-Wi6e dtt'j
ference Of opinion over coal pToduc'I
ton and distribution questions ap'
peared between fuel and railroad al.
ministrations In statements given OUT
Yesterday at their respective head
quarters each without the knowledge
Of the other.
The fuel administration, referring
to the geological surveys report tina!
bitumInous coal production fell 1,0oG'
900 tons or II per cent in the weeS
ending April s, attributed the condt
ton largely to shortage OF cars at
mines. Mines are closing because
they cannot get cars. and the fuel ad.
minfstration fears this condition viii
result in the complete Generalization
Of the labor supply and shortage o.!
coal next winter. From the railroad
administration came q report show
ing that more cars were loaded with,
coal during the first week in April
than in the same period last year, and
that since January first 1858, more
cars had been loaded than last year
despite the sharp decline in January
because OF bad weather and the IN
creased war and troop traffic. II the
mines are shutting down, railroad ad'
ministration officers said Informally
It is mainly because they have Insult
ficient orders or are short OF labor
Railroads are hauling 100 per cent Goa!
supply to industries given fuel priority
by the fuel administration and war IN.
dustries board, it was pointed out, ana
this tends to cut car supply TO others.
One great point Of dispute between
- Zoe
in the question OF whether the rail
roads are to continue their past prac
tee Of giving preferential car suppl
to mines holding contracts to supply
coal to railroads
The fuel administration maintains
that this practice disturbs production
and results in curtailment OF OUTPUT
through forcing mines adjoining the
for lack of cars.
The railroad ADMINISTRATION on the
other hand, insists that It IS fair and
lust for the railroads to continue max
ing contracts for coal at lower than
the usual market price, guaranteeing
producers IN return a full car supply
In support OF its claim that the rail
roads are not primarily responsible
for the loss of coal production, tho
railroad administration cited figures
showing that $,110,59S cars Of coal
have been loaded IN the United States
since January L as compared with s.
1O4, 157 in that period Last year. This
years total includes 2,5S6,065 cars OF
bituminous and 524,533 cars OF anthra
citec, with both figures 5000 above
the corresponding totals for last year.
Comparing the two years, the 79,1T2
cars decrease in January this year has
been more than made up by increases
OF 81 $50 in February 1858 in March
and 1850 in the first week Of April.
On the other hand the fuel admins
tration says it is largely because OF
car shortage that miners are kept idle
DAYS at time and in some fields
mines have worked only one or two
days a week. In some fields loss in
production has amounted to as high
as SO per cent. In the New River and
Winding Gull and Pocahontas fields,
which supply low volatile coal for the
navy and the merchant marine there
was loss in production OF PA per
cent.
gwen a short continuance Of these
car supply conditions" the fuel adj
m:nistration's statement said, viii
result in the forcing out Of the mining
fields, the labor which the mining op-
orators and the fuel administration
may find it impossible to replace, even
II the railroads are able to ofer a full
car supply to the mines later "a the
summer. Reports to the fuel admin.
istration give evidence Of unrest and
dissatisfaction among the mine work;
ers who throughout the past year
have given patient service even when
that meant personal sacrifice
Among the causes OF disturbance