Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-06-24
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
j. Longer May Not Get Their
Fuel Later On.
MINES IDLE WITHOUT ORDERS.

ability of another general coal short.
|age next fall and winter The an.
nouncement is based, the Survey
states, upon ne. ion-wide study Of
conditions in the bitumnous 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 1917-1S
The only way production can be slim
ulated at the present time, 1t 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
81 90, 900 net tons, or approximately
259o below production during the first
I'VE months of 1918 Mines are produc-
ing coal now at the rate of from 5000
600 TO $500 900 tons n week. An aver
| age output of 100000 tons IA week
must be maintained from June | To
January ] next If the countrys esti-
mated needs Of J00,OO0,0O0 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-
CURED tonnage. The tendency on the
part OF buyers to hold Off placing their
lorders 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, Il. less adequate
Transportation, will be unable to meet
the demands. The result Of such a sit
|uation would be an insufficient supply
for the requirements of domestic con.
|sumers, public utilities and industrial
users generally.
at is believed hat requirements FOR
this year" reads Survey statement
Ito Fuel Administrator Garfield "wil
he about $4,000, 900 toas of bituminous
coal, of which approximately 3o.0OO.000 f.
tons have been used from stocks accu- .
HMlnted last year, leaving J0O0000o0
tons to be produced OF this 100000
1000 tons 17S000 900 tons were produc- .
led during the first FIVE. months leaving
|322, 100000 tons to be produced in the .
remaining 80 weeks, or an average of /.
no, 100000 tons a week
"Thus far this year production has /.
been at the rate of 100000 tons a
week In 1918 production was at the .
rate Of II 100000 tons week.
"ThIs production will be difficult Of &C .
|complishment. The capacity Of opernt- .
ing mines at the present time with labor .
now on the payroll is about 1870 lower .
than 1t was last year. This deficiency
may be made up in part or wholly If .
the mines haze orders sufficient to run .
them five or six days a week unless the .
Threatened exodus of foreign-born labor .
occurs.
May BE Car Shortage.
present wage agreements between /
opeators 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 it should occur during the
fall would cause a panic among buyers
and consumers of coal"
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
- no other way such assurance
be obtained Transportation also
lises to he limiting factor If the
tide Of demand comes at a time
i the country's record crops are
carried. In some districts it
appear certain that, nOtwith
tng the utmost endeavors of the
,ad Administration and the util-
dn of its experience last fall, car
age will be cause limiting butt
Us coal production, and for that
IN 1t is problematical whether the
ected production of 500000,000 tons
be attained this year
shortage of labor already Is a fac
that Is cutting down the output in
me coal producing sections, accord
ing to the Surveys report The opera
tors report that from $4,000 to 10000
foreign bornfminers expect to return 10
Europe as soon as they can get pass
ports and that many have already re
turned. If 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 foreigu-born, and there
are many such districts.
He who needs coal should hesitate
no longer. Now is the time TO buy
coa.