Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1919-07-10
COAL SHORTAGE |
ON WAY; GOVT.
SAYS BUY NOW
Nay Be Repetition OF I9l7.l8
Conditions Next Winter SAYS
Geological Survey.
MINES IDLE WITHOUT ORDERS.
Those Who Delay Ordering
Longer May Not Get Their
Fuel Later On.
MINES IDLE WITHOUT ORDERS.

announces from Washington the prob.
ability Of another general coal short
age next fall and winter. The an
neancemsnt In based. the Survey
states. upon n nationwide study OF
conditions In the bituminous Geld.
Unless steps are taken ne once, the
Survey says. 20 place the mines upon
O basis Of Increased production there
In every prospect Of a repetition to
some degree of the situation that pre-
vailed In the United States during the
winter Of iei7-ia
The only way production can be stiin-
uiated at the present time. II In said. 10
ey placiag orders with the mines for
coal which win be needed later on.
Production during the first Ave months
% the year." reads the statement, "feii
b7.2o2. 600 net tons. or approximately
s0ss below production during the first
ave months Of 1918. Mines are produc-
Ing coal now at the rate OF from s.000..
600 to $500. 600 tons q week. An aver
age output Of 10.7o0.000 tons q week
must bs maintained from June 1 10
January next IL the country's esti.
mated needs OF cO0.0Oo.0O0 tons this
year are TO be met"
Gvii sf Delayed Orders.
At no time during this year has the
rate OF production Approached the re-
CURED tonnage. The tendency on the
part Of buyers to hold or placing their
orders 10 limiting production. as the
mines cannot store coal at the point of
production, and when the rush OF
orders for the winters needs comes
next fall there is grave danger that
the mines. with depleted labor forces
and the probability Of less adequate
transportation, win be unable to meet
the esmands The result Of such sit.
uation would be an insufficient supply
for the requirements Of domestic con-
sumers. public utilities and industrial
users generally.
"1t In believed that requirements for
this year." reads q Survey statement
to Fuel Administrator Garfield, "wiII
bs about $50. 600, 900 tons Of bitumlnous
coal. Of which approximately sO.OOO.O 900
tons have been used from stocks accu-
muiated last year. leaving COO. 900. 900
tens 20 be produced. OF this 100000
600 tons III. 1000 600 tons were produc.
% during the first fva months, leaving
$4,000. 900 tons to'be produced In the
remaining 30 weeks, or an average of
10, ,7O0. 600 tons q week.
"Thus far this year production has
been nc the rate Of 100000 tons q
week. In 1913 production was ut the
rate Of II, BOO. 900 tons O week.
"This production viii be difficult of &C.
sompiishment. The capacity Of operat.
nj mines at the present time with labor
cow on the payroll IL about I0ss lower
than 10 was last year. This deficiency
may bs made NJ IN part or wholly IL
the mines have orders sufficient to run
them Eve or six days q week unless the
threatened exodus Of foreign-born labor
occurs.
May Dc Car shertage.
Present wage agreements between
operators and miners expire with
the proclamation Of peace By the Pres-
ident. A suspension Of mining oper.
ations while o new wage agreement In
being negotiated would. Of course, seri.
ously interfere with the production OF
coal and IL it should occur during tbs
fall would canse panic among buyers
and consumers Of coal"
There is no use In gambling upon
this or any other contingency, fuel nd.
ministrafion ofacials say. The firm or
individual who wants 90 be sure Of an
adequate coal supply next winter can
bs certain By buying coal now. There
10 no other way such assurance
can be obtained. Transportation also
promises 70 be limiting factor IL the
food tide of demand comes nc q time
whsa the country's record crops are
being carried. In some districts it
wouid appear certain that. notwith.
standing the utmost endeayors Of tbs
Railroad Administration and the nth.
ixation Of its experience last fall, car
ahortags viii be cause limiting butt.
min0us coal production, ane for that
reason 10 In probiematical whether the
&&K%%k&8 kAg41G&s0As VI 9Ny0s1Hk9s83V tUUH
can bs attained this year.
Shortage Of labor already In a fac
tor that In cutting down the output Nm
some coal producing sections. accord
ing % the Surveys report. The opera
tors report that from $4,000 10 5000
foreign-boFn minsrs expect to return to
Europe as soon as they can get pass
ports and that many have already re-
turned II continued this movement
win be capable Of producing but one
results reduction OF the amount OF
coal mined In districts where the mine
labor is largely forsign-born. and there
ere many such districts.
10 who needs coal should hesitate
no ionker. New n The time TO buy
80.