The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-05-06
EXPECT MINING
INDUSERYFO HUM
BEFORE EVERYLONG
Col. Watson, Wheelwright
and Camden Were in
Region Yesterday.
LOOKS GOOD TO THEM
X Price Cutting Operator Go
to Find lie Has Made
a Mistake.

Americas best informed coal men
are a unit in the belief that the coal
business will come back strong within
aS short time and that both a car
shortage and shortage in labor will
be Experienced. Porbably the best
informed man along these lines today
is JereH. Wheelwright, of Baltimore,
chairman of the board of directors of
The Consolidation Coal company, who
by virtue of holding the office of pres
ident of The National Coal associa-
tion is in active touch with condi-
tions. NE. Wheelwright was in Fair
mont yesterday and it is understood
that he shares this belief also.
Col. c. w. Watson, president of the
company, and Sprigg D. Camden, vice
president, were also in the region.
The operators who are cutting the
/ price eventually will bump up against
the labor problem and they will wake
up some morning to find that price
cutting was a rank mistake and that
they pulled their business down on
themselves.
Some operators see SO coal by Sep
i.tember aud So coal by January.
next. The more thoughtful operators
do not desire SIS coal because 1t means
that the public will be at its throat
of the operators and regulations may
follow on the part of the government.
The wiser ones also see the element
of danger of too high priced coal, as
it will mean the substitution of oil
burning for coal burning. Already
this substitution has been largely
made in New England cities and 1t is
contended that its use means a great
! saving.
Eastern Loading Big.
Loading on the Monongah division
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
yesterday rose to $50 cars. This is
the best loading on the corresponding
day since January 6, when the load
ing was 941 cars. On February the
loading was 496 cars. on March 1t
! was STA cars and on April 5, 346
cars.
Yesterdays loading was 107 cars
more than on Saturday, when the to-
tai loading was SIS cars.
One of the big features Of yester-
days loading was the large number
of cars sent east-S15. There were
230 unconsigned cars billed out yes
terday. The eastern loading yestO'-
day was heavier than at any time
since January z, when the loading
was $50 cars for the east.
The increase in eastern loading ap-
pears TO indicate that business condi-
tions are improving in Philadelphia
and other eastern Industrial cOlters.
Coal moved west yesterday totaled
100 loads. No coke was loaded yes
terday. Unconsigned cars are down
to 622 cars and they are rapidly
dwindling.
Things are Brighter.
! With the bright aspect which the
coal business today enjoys the indica-
tions are that there will be better
sign of work for the miner than there
had been in the past few months. Coal
operators are urging their men not to
leave the region because they are con-
fident that things are going to boom
before long.
Business conditions are picking up
in this country, and this, together
with the prospects of more foreign
trade, are the rays of hope. The
changed attitude of Italy in the peace
conference means that American coal
will be shipped there in large guam
titles before many months.
Right along the line of car shortage
it might be added that today there
are 1887 cars on the division-302 2
less than yesterday. If the eastern
loading averages anything like yes
terday and general business is resum-
ed it means that not more than 500
loads of coal can go out of the Fair
mont field.
Railroad Fuel Jumps.
Tonnage taken off the Monongah
division of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad yesterday was larger at 263
cars than at any time since March 10,
when there were 266 cars-just three
cars more.
Last Monday 2O6 cars were taken.
Two weeks ago the tonnage totaled
176 cars. Three weeks ago 203 cars
were purchased and four weeks age
the total was 2O2 cars.
After railroad fuel was off color for
months 1t is coming back. During the
first four days OF January the total
U Continued on page four)