The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-09-03
FUEL CRISIS
MAKES DEMAND
FOR SACRIFICE
Personal Convenience Cannot be
Considered in Present
Emergency
SCRAPPING BASEBURNERS
Missouri Has Given Up Hopes
Of Getting Any Anthracite
Coal
SCRAPPING BASEBURNERS

"One hundred thousand baseburn-
ers are being scrapped and sold for
junk in Missouri because their own
ers know it will be impossible to OBJ
tain anthracite coal for them was d
statement made today by Capt. l. P.
Raker, federal fuel administrator for
| North Dakota, who recently returned
| from a conference of state administra-
tors at Washington
"The problem is largely one of
transportation" said Capt. Baker in
| further referring to the fact that very
little anthracite would be available
west of the Mississippi this winter.
'We have certain production of fuel
and certain dead limit in our trans
portation resources, and the country
is consuming 10 per cent of both. 1t
stands to reason, then. that the differ
ent sections of the nation must con-
sumo the coal which is nearest to
them. Missouri is almost surrounded
by bituminous coal fields. 1t would
not be logical to ship anthracite all
the way from Pennsylvania to Mis-
souri, and to ship the local bituminous
| coal all the way back to the seaboard.
| North Dakota expects to mine
more Ignite than last year, and it will
help the nation to that extent. An
hracite will be supplied only where it
| is actually needed. Sections of the
state which have an abundance OF
| Ignite cannot expect to have all the
anthracite they want. This must be
reserved for portions of the state
! which have an abundance of Ignite
Acannot expect to have all the anthra'
Ecite they want. This must be reserved
Vfor portions Of the state which have
no Ignite.
"This great war is causing a steady
and unusual drain on our fuel resour
ces. We must keep our transports
and out munition ships and our supply
ships moving and we must keep oul
munition factories and other essential
industries in operation. The govern
ment is bending every effort to sup
ply essential industries and private
consumers, to prevent actual suffering
and discomfort. But many nOn-essen
tial, though none-the-less worthy in
dustries must suspend in order that
this may be accomplished.
1.-THE great bulk of our anthracite
coal will come all the way up the
lakes as return cargo for iron ore car
riers. At the head of the lakes it will
be loaded into empty grain cars which
have discharged their wheat and flax
at the elevators. Some sections OF
South Dakota. Minnesota and Iowa
will be allowed to bring in Illinois and
Indiana coal. Northwestern states
which will be given eastern anthra
cite are generally adopting the North
Dakota policy of regulating the dis
tribution Of anthracite through the
state fuel administration. in order that
it may get into the hands of those
consumers who most need it.
"If the war continues another year
whi><. is most likely, it is probable
that the northwestern states may be
excluded from the use of anthracite
entirely. AS I have pointed out be-
fore. every time we take ton of an
thracite from one of our troop ships
or munitions or supply ships we are
increasing the danger to our boys, on
the sea and in the trenches, just sc
much. for vessel bmurning ordinary
bituminous is viible at sea within a
radius of 26 miles. while the use Of
anthracite or highIgrade .sniokeless
lDltumnOuS Goals reduces this radius
of visibility to six miles.
Furthermore, it is hardly fair in
vie wof the fact that all the Goa
mined in the United States will be
consumed and because OF the need Of
conserving every ton of coal that is
mined and the necessity of husband
ing our transportation resources thai
coal be transported long distance
from the territory where it is pro
duced to another region which has Goa
of its own. while the coal from the
latter territory is carried long dis
tance to some other point before be
ing consumed. 1t is our patriotic duty
dictated by necessity as we'll as 10y
atty, that we use the coal which comes
to us with the least transportation"
| -RUY W. S. S.