The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 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
nouncement Is based. the Survey
states, upon a nationwide study OF
conditions in the bltuminous field
Unless steps are taken at once. tho
Survey says, to place the mines upon
a basis. Of Increased production there
Is every prospect of a repetition to
some degree Of the situation that pre-
vailed in the United States during the
winter Of 1918.
The only way production can be slim
ulated at tie 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
1922, 900 net tons, or approximately
25% below production during the first
ave months Of 1918. Mines.are produc-
Ing coal now at the rate OF from 5000
900 to 100000 tons a week. An aver
age output Of 100000 tons a week
must be maintained from June ! to
January l next II the country's estl-
mated needs of 5OO,OO0,OOO tons this
year are to be met"
Evil Of Delayed Orders.
At 40 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
orders is limiting production, as the
mines cannot store coal nj 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 nee
the demands. The result OF such Il sit
uation would be an insufficient supply
for the requirements Of domestic con
sumers, public utilities and Industrial
users generally.
1T is believed that requirements for
this year." reads a Survey statement
to Fuel Administrator Garfield, "win
be about 100000 900 tons Of bituminous
coal, of which approximately 10000. Don
tons have been used from stocks accus
mulated last year, leaving 5O0,000.0O
tons TO be produced. OF this 100000.
BOO tons 17S, 000, 1000 tons were produc-
ed during the first Ave months, leaving
S22,0O0,O00 tons to be produced in the
remaining 30 weeks, or an average Of
10,T00,0 900 tons a week.
Thus far this year production has
been at the rate Of S,200.00 0 tons a
week. In 1918 production was at the
rate Of ll,300,000 tons a 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 1919 lower
than h was last year. This deficiency
may be made up in part or wholly II
the mines have orders sufficient to run
them 1--we or six days a week unless the
threatened exodus Of fo~relgn-bOm 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
atoms while a new wage agreement is
being negotiated would, OF course, seri-
ously Interfere with the production OF
coal and II it should occur during the
tall would cause q panic among buyer
and onsume of coal"
There Is no use in gambling upon
this or any other contingency fuel ad
minIstratlon officials say. The firm Of
Individual who wants TO be sure OF al
adequate coal supply next winter car
be certain by buying coal now, Their,
Is no other way such assurance
AN be obtained. transportation ais,
promises to be a limiting factor II tn,
hood tide Of demand comes at a tlm'
when the country's record crops ar,
being carried. In some districts q
would appear certain that. notwlth
standing the utmost enNeavors Of ih'
Railroad Administration and the utll
lzatlon Of It's experience last fall, ca
shortage will be q cause limiting butt
mlnous coal production, aud for tina
reason 1t is problematical whether th'
expected production Of 500,0O0,0O0 ton
can be attained this year.
Shortage Of labor already is a fac
tor that IS cutting down The output II
some coal producing sections, accord
Ing to the Surveys report. The opera
tors report that from $4,000 to 40.OOI
f~oreign-born miners expect to return &
Europe as soon as they can GET pass
ports and that many have already re
turned II continued this moyemen
viii be capable Of producing but on.
results reduction OF the amount 0
coal mined IN districts where HE min
labor is largely ~forcignsborn, and ther
SIRE many such districts.
He who needs coal should nesitnt
10 longer. Now Is the tIme % pu
coal