The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-07-03
COAL SHORTAGE
ON Way; GOVT.
SAYS BUY NOW
May Be Repetition Of 1918
Conditions Next Winter Says
Geological Survey.
MINES IDLE WITHOUT ORDERS.
Those Who Delay Ordering
Longer May Not Get Their
Fuel Later On.

The United States Geological Survey
announces from Washington the prob
ability OF another general coal short
age next fall and winter. The an
.nouncement is based. the Survey
states, upon nationwide study OF
conditions in the bituminous field.
Unless steps are taken at once, the
survey says, to place the mines upon
a basis OF increased production there
Is every prospect of repetition to
some degree Of the situation that pre-
vailed In the United States during the
winter of 1911-lS.
The only way production can he stm-
ulated at the present time, it is said, is
by placing orders with the mines for
coal which will be needed later on
Production during the first five months
OF the year," reads the statement, fell
5i,22,OO0 net tons, or approximately
25fo below production during the first
five months of 1918. Mines are produc-
ing coal now at the rate of from 5000
600 TO S,500,000 tons week. An aver
age output Of 100000 tons a week
must be maintained from June | 10
January l next If the countrys esti-
mated needs Of 100000 600 tons this
year are to be met"
Evil Of Delayed Orders.
At no time during this year has the
rate Of production approached the re-
quired tonnage. The tendency on the
part OF buyers to hold off placing their
orders Is 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. will be unable to meet
the demands. The result of such sit
uation would be an insufficient supply
for the requirements Of domestic con
sumers, public utilities and industrial
users generally.
at Is believed that requirements for
this year." reads Survey statement
to Fuel Administrator Garfield, will
be about 530,000,000 tons of bitumlnous
coal, of which approximately 3O,00O,O0
tons have been used from stocks accu-
mulated last year, leaving 500,O0O,000
tons TO be produced. OF this 100000.
600 tons 17S,000000 tons were produc-
ed during the first five months, leaving
322,0OO,0O0 tons to be produced In the
remaining 80 weeks or an average of
10, 1904 900 tons a week.
Thus far this year production has
been at the rate of 100000 tons
week In 1918 production was at the
rate Of IL 100000 tons week.
This production will be difficult of ac-
complishment. The capacity of operat-
Ing mines at the present time with labor
now on the payroll is about 1000 lower
than 1t was last year. This deficiency
may be made up in part or wholly If
the mines have orders sufficient to run
them five or six days week unless the
threatened exodus of foreign-born labor
occurs.
May Be Car Shortage.
Present wage agreements between
operators and miners expire with
the proclamation Of peace by the Pres
ident A suspension Of mining oper-
ations while a new wage agreement is
being negotiated would, of course, seri-
ously interfere with the production of
coal and If 1t should occur during the
fall would cause panic among buyers
and consumers Of coal"
There is no use in gambling upon
this or any other contingency, fuel ad
mnistration officials say. The firm or
individual who wants to be sure Of an
adequate coal supply next winter can
be certain by buying coal now. There
Is no other way such assurance
can be obtained. Transportation also
promises to be limiting factor II the
food tide Of demand comes at time
when the country's record crops are
being carried. In some districts It
would appear certain that, notwith-
standing the utmost endeavOrs of the
Railroad Administration and the util
lzation Of Its experience last fall, car
shortage will be cause limiting butt
mnous coal production, and for that
reason 1t is problematical whether the
expected production of 5O0,000,OO0 tons
can be attained this year.
Shortage Of labor already is fac
tor that Is cutting down the output in
some coal producing sections, accord
ing to the Surveys report. The opera
tors report that from 10000 to 10000
foregn-born miners expect to return to
Europe as soon as they can get pass.
ports and that many have already re-
turned. II continued this movement
will be capable Of producing but one
result-a reduction Of the amount of
coal mined In districts where the mine
labor is largely foreign-born, and there
are many such districts.
He who needs coal should hesitate
no longer. Now il the time to buy