Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1919-06-27
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.

!
ability of another general coal short
age next fall and winter. The an
nOunccment Is based, the Survey
states, upon u nationwide study of
conditions In the bituminOus field.
Unless steps are taken at once, the
survey says, to place the mines upon
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.1017-1S.
The only way production can be slim
ulatcd at the present time, it is said, IL
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,202UOO net tons, or approximately
300 below production during the first
five months of 1918. Mines are produc-
ing cOnl now at the rate of from $780,
600 TO $4,000 tons a week. An aver
age output of 100000 tons a week
/ must be maintained from June l to
January l next If the country's esti-
mated needs of 500,0OO,O0O 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 nf less adequate |
transportation. Will DO unable to meet |
the demands. Tie result of such a sit.
uatlon 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, twill
be about j3O,0O0,000 tons of bituminous
coal, of which approximately 10000, 900
tons have been used from Stocks accu-
INFLATED last year, leaving 100000, 900
tons to be produced. or this 800 600
600 tons 17S,0OO,OOO tons were produc-
ed during the first five months, leaving
22,OOo.o0O tons to be produced in the
remaining 30 weeks, or an average of
l0.TOO,0O0 tons a week.
Thus far this year production has
been at the rate Of 100000 tons Il
week. In 1913 production was at the
rate Of 100000 tons week.
This production will he difficult of ac-
cOmpllshment. The capacity of Operat-
Ing mines ut the present time with labor
now Oh the payroll Is about 10CS lower
than 1t was last year. This deficiency
may be made up In part or wholly II
the mines have orders sufficient TO run
them five or six days week unless the
threatened exodus Of fOrcign.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-
at!Ons while n new wage agreement Is
being. negotiated would, Of course, Serl-
ously interfere with the production OF \
coal and If it should occur during the |
fall would cause panic among buyers 1
and consumers of coal" 2
There is no use in gambling upon :
this or any other contingency, fuel ad-
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 v
Is no other way such assurance d
Fan be obtained. Transportation also s
promises to be limiting factor II the r
food tide of demand comes at time ;.
when the cOuntry's record crops are :.
being carried. In some districts Il u
would appear certain that, notwith- q
the utmost endeavOrs of the h
Railroad Administration and the util-
zatlOn OF its experience last fall, car o
shortage will be cause limiting btu O
ninOus coal production, and for that n
reason II is prOblematical whether the 3.
expected production of 50O,OOO,O 600 tons :,
,an be attained this year. u
Shortage of labor already Is a fac 1
or that is cutting down the output In m
ome coal producing sections, accord fl
ng to the Surveys report. The opera m
Ors report that from $4,000 TO 10000 IN
oreign-bOn miners expect to return To >,
europe rs soon as they can get pass
'orts and that many have already re- ''
urned. If continued this movement
will be capable of producing but one al
reduction OF the amount OF II
'oal mined in districts where the mine :
sbor is largely foreign-born. and there
ire many such districts.
He who needs coal should hesitate a.
10 longer. Now Is the time to buy u
- - o. 20 49, $780, $3.50 - -