Grand Forks herald., 1918-09-03
N. DAK0TAlS
FORCED T0USE
MORE LlGlNllE
Anthracite Will be Supplied
Only Where it is Ac-
tually Needed.

Bismarck, N. D.. Sept. 3.-"one
thousand base burners are
being scrapped and sold for junk In
Missouri because their owners know
it will be impossible to obtain an
thracite coal for them," was a state
ment made today by Captain l. r.
Baker, federal fuel administrator Tor
North Dakota, who has recently re-
turned from conference Of state ad-
at Washington.
1.-The problem is largely one of
said Captain Baker
in further referring to the fact that
very little anthracite would be avail
able west of the Mississippi this win
ter, I'VE have a certain production
of fuel and certain dead limit In
our transportation resources, and the
country is consuming 100 per cent Of
both. It stands to reason, then, that
the different sections of the nation
must consume the coal which is near
est to them. Missouri is almost sur
rounded by bituminous coal fields. 1t
would not be logical to ship anthra-
cite all the way from Pennsylvania
to Missouri and to ship the local btu
minous 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.
Anthracite will be supplied only
where it is actually needed. Sections
of the state which have an abund-
anco of Ignite cannot expect to have
all the anthracite they want. This
must be reserved for portions Of the
state which have no Ignite.
This great war is causing a steady
sources. We must keep our trans
ports and our munition ships and our
supply ships moving and we must
keep our munition factories and 9TH
er essential industries in operation.
The government is bending every ef-
fort to supply essential industries and
private consumers. to prevent actual
suffering and discomfort But many
non-essential, the nonstheless worthy
industries must suspend in order that
this may be accomplished.
'"The great bulk of our anthracite
coal will come all the way up the
lakes as return cargo for iron ore
carriers. 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 Sec
tions of Sout hDakota, Minnesota and
Iowa will be allowed to bring in H.
linois and Indiana coal. Northwest
ern states which will be given eastern
dul1AIdC1I0 dI0 ScIlcIdlAy duOpCAIA6 IAAo
North Dakota policy of regulating
the distribution of anthracite
through the state fuel administra-
ton, in order that it may get into
the hands of those consumers who
most need it.
IF the war continues another year,
which is most likely, it is probable
that the northwestern states may be
excluded from the use Of anthracite
entirely. AS have pointed out be-
fore, every time we take a ton of an
thracfte 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 SO
much, for a vessel burning ordinary
bituminous is visible at sea within a
radius of 26 miles, while the use OF
anthracite or high-grade smokeless
bituminous coal reduces this radius of
visibility to six miles.
Furthermore, it is hardly fair in
view of the fact that all the coal
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 that
coal be transported long distance
from the territory where it IS pro-
duced to another region which has
coal, Of its own, while the coal from
the latter territory is carried a long
distance to some other point before