Evening journal., 1918-09-18
Home Fires Must be Kept Burning With Less Coal
BY Z. c. RODGERS.

A+fs r. n CAdu
PITTSBURGH, Pa, Sept is-The coal
shortage this year will run up to iOO,-
100000 tons. The nation will be that
much short for domestic and Industrial
fuel. 10 may be worse. Careful coal
Investigators with whom ! have talked
predict shortage Of i200O0,OO0 tons.
They are pessimistIc. After a visit
through the leading bituminOus coal
States and the anthracite districts Of
Pennsylvania / am forced 10 the con-
clusion that this winter will see fuel
famnes in many American cities.
T. More coal has been mined this year
than last, The production per mine,
per man, per day has been greater. Also
the consumption has been greater.
War industries have FIRST claim on an
thracite, and domestic consumers west
Of Pittsburg must burn soft coal.
But much Of he bituminous must go
to war industry. more than last year.
And the nation will have a shortage
OF at least iO0OOO,0OO tons.
This is not altogether due TO the fact
that not enough coal could be mined.
Probably, moreiof IL may be laid to the
fact that the coal gateways were crowd
ed with other freight, and that loco
motives were pulling war supplies in
stead Of coal cars.
War industries working day and
night have used double and treble the
coal those same factories and mills
used in peace times turning out peace
products.
There are several ways in which the
nation can overcome al, or most OF
this shortage. These include:
High pressure production increase.
Coal ban TO non-essential industries.
Non-wastage OF fuel in essential in
dustries.
lIeatless days.
Production Of bituminOus coal reach
cd its lowest point this year in Janu-
ary lower than at the same time in
1916 and 1917. Since then it lies gone
steadily upward, with but two falls,
in early April and in June, in both in
stances touching the same production
mark made the year before. Every
other month the production per day
has exceeded that OF preceding years. In
mid-July went up to the 100000 tons
mark, higher than ever before In Au-
gust there was a drop back to the p
100000 mark, with September climbing
back mp again.
At this time, the production OF BIZ
luminous is near or above the 2,20O,-
900 record II it can be kept above that
the rest OF the year the increase over
last year will run about 10000 a week
and half OF the predicted shortage will
be made up. But that is merely coal
at the mine. 10 is not near the stove or
furnace. Railroads may not be able
to handle IL plus the normal produc-
tion.
Gradually Coal Administrator Gar
field is cutting down on fuel for nor
essential industries That is conserving I
coal for war work and homes.
In normal winters domestic cOnsum-
ers use about i20,OOO0O0 tons Of coal
in furnaces and stoves. Last winter
they used nearly i4OOOO,OOO tons, due
to excessive and widespread zero
weather.
Taking this 10 be a normal winter. /
the home fires must be kept burning
with LESS than 100000 tons. 10 has
been said time and again that the hcme |
fires are too not and too poorly KEPT. !
They waste too much fuel Homes can
be heated comfortably and heathily |
with less coal. Coal dealers themselves !
say So
Good coal experts. as for instance the |,
editor OF the Black Diamond, say homes
can be heated with a third Of the coal
used in other winters. They say that
domestic users can save i0,0O0OO0 tons
of coal this winter, and not be uncom-
Portable
They also insist that war industries
by careful firing, can save at least TO-,
100000 tons
These make up the 100000 toiis
shortage.
Increased production In next three
50.OO0O0O.
Saved in home fires. 100000.
Saved in war industries, i0,OOO,OO0.
II not saved-fuel famines for the \
poor, and hcatless days for all
And what is saved by excluding non
essentials may ne balanced against in
creased use in increasing war work