The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-01-15
FRANCE MAY SEEK
HER COAL SUPPLY
FROM The u. S

WASHl NOTION Jan. l4.--.liow the
rctrealinr C;crnpns wrecked the rich
coal mines ,rf nIrth IN France WAS dc
scr;bcd in 4 rcpo< to Harry A. Car
field. I'nit"d States fuel administrator.
l.y 4 special commission sent by inc
fuc, admin! Stratlnn 10 study CONDITIONS
abroad. Three years. The report said,
j. III" French engineers estimate OF The
tine required 10 rrface the devastation
enough Ia permit lulI production. The
Srra; reserve stocks Of coal which had
been huill up in France arc gone and
even tn" stocks q: public utilities arc
Il; ;hr danger point.
N!rh an apparent necessary minimum
of in.0o0.0WU tons year. FRANCE mas
been getting alone in war time on tO.-
QUO ma toms. cniturnS severe prira-
tons. and is IN great need or rchcf
Dynamite and the uNyacetylen" loren
cruIpl"tcd demolition Of the mines IN
il.. !-nS region. Whcr" the mines wore
W:lhim IL" French lines operations were
carried a. at night.
France May Seek U. S. Coal.
'h'ramC". Sa!p tn" report. must loon
ur, >;d.. - hey OWL borders for at least
half g.. h.r coal supply FOR som" It'll"
;iulr t. come. Timer" IS every prospect
ma. m.ih TN" present shortage III Eng
land. ,>.,,a; Tirita:n VIII experience oil!
frAlt, ~ meeting anything NOR" thLn
her rr"<,.n. d"ntnnd. Ii ;hat event. II Is
not iInrruhahic that there will b" de-
,uand ~ very considerable proportions
for American coal"
Tales Of Wild underground com0ats
wcr. brought b.: returning members 81
me iiISSi"u. In on" instance. where
workings -; TWO mines opened into each
o;h"r. the Germans sent parties down
n.:2 shaft To destroy thu WORKINGS III
tn. hands ~ the French. Every French
survivor II the hath" n-thr black caves
thousand feet u.derErouhu I"
IA, ,'rui\ dc Gurrrr..
OF tn" i.rr.tury around Lens the re-
pore SAID:
''r,. conditions varied from complete
,Ir;,iniii;ur 10 Martial obstruction ~ sur
i.,. Sirii,turr$. Thus tho operation at
I..ns waS completely RAID. nothing re-
maining hut Il heap OF DEBRIS. mus
shat, VAS located with difficulty and Is
uIlrd with wr"rkas". Not Il structure
remains standinE in Lens and at the
ii,u, If nur visit. there vas no HFlhS
tnhahItnut.
ON arruur; Of III" destruction II WAS
moi roSsibl" Ia max" AN eNamlna'i o'i ~
ir,lcr!nv conditions. but we were aoViS"I
thai wa;rr. had risGn in tn" shafts ana
ing M. nasmECh ~ II hsd not p"fh
p"ss'.." as yei 10 resume pumping 80
III" district. a.,
During tho five years preceding Inc
war ,il.. coal consumption OF frahCe
was slightly loss than su."pN,poo to">
:, year, or this amount. 4u,ooU,HCo tons
were produced il Frsnr" French pro
iu,,inn frIl al tn" ON et Of the war
,r % 900 600 tons lu>nr;aiI"nS con-
t.nrcd 4, about .0OO1 % tons. III" main
.,ns field being occupied by me Ger
mans throughout TN" war. IN III pro-
d,jri,ou was rusNd To 2S.n0.rr0 tons.
Government, Took Control.
t.v.rtuaily increasing scarcity anu
-,s;nc ur,rns forced the French gov
.rrrcr; ia assume complete control OF
~, MINISTRY Sever" restrictions were
,n,pns.d upun III" US" If coal Tor nous
bnld purposrs and SYiS"in Q! ration
NV VA introduced. All coal "hH
Lnuch; BY the government and Fcsn'o
nj /. pricc having IN n"rcss"F! ir''
lion to is cost. Thus So francs 'o',
was charged for coal for houScholn
,,,,rn,srs while Industries were charged
l2n francs 4 Ton.
,rhn intention If the government was
:. ,.nndurt tn" whole transaction win
gu; incurrrng loss. TIL" nor,hern iSius,
,vhi,.N-.sr suffered most severely produce
- per cent Of the French o"'p"' -
..,,I ami t,lrrr ar. no other French
folds comparing II Siz" or puaIlty WIN
these The plants RACED by thr ter,
mans Mad b"cn ~ the most rnodcFh anu
p-r,uaurut character.