The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-07-15
Curtis Bay Embargoed Be-
cause of Marine Strikes
Along Water Front.
BIZ 0. CAR SUPPLY DROPS
Loading to St. Georges
Sets New Mark for
the Coal Year.

ALREADY we have had mines idle in
this district on account of a labor
shortage" states George 4. Bell, execu-
tive vice president OF the Northern
West Virginia Coal Operators Asso-
citation, in circular letter issued to-
day. The remainder of the statement
is as follows:
In addition TO the $4,000 men who
have already left their picks and drills,
hundreds are going into other en-
ployments, such as steel mills, ship
building plants, and the grain fields
Monday is generally the day OF the
best car supply. as the number of cars
in any district on that day represents
two days accumulation. And yet We
have already has as many as six mines
down on Monday on account OF car
shortage. Railroad administration Off
cials are predicting the worst car short
age in years during the coming fall
and Writer. There are two reasons
for this. We are raising the largest
grain crop in the history of the coun-
try this year. To move this crop to
market, great many of the loCOmo-
tives ordinarily used to move other
freight, suCh-.as coal, will have to be
utilized. There are more bad order
open top cars out of service at the
present time than ever before. The
situation as regards this matter is so
serious that it has become a subject
of special interest hy the National Coal
Association and the Senator's and Con-
gressmen of coal producing states.
"On account of labor troubles in
yNFrln - Il l.
ment of the mines in Belgium and
France, and the lessened coal output
of other foreign countries, there is to-
day worldwide coal shortage. The
result is that the Scandinavian coun.
tries, France, Belgium, Italy and South
America, especially, are looking to us
for part of their fuel supplies. The
Shipping Board has already assigned
to the export coal trade more than 15O,.
600 tons OF ships. Conservative ex-
porters therefore estimate that our do
mestic supplies of coal will be depict
ed this year by an overseas move
ment OF between 25,000,000 and 3O,0O0,-
900 tons. In 1918 our total export
movement of coal was 2l,0519 979 tons.
Notwithstanding the above men
toned facts, this country's production
of coal so far this year of 1919 has been
on basis which closely opproximates
that of 1910. To relate the reasons for
this almost unbelievable condition
would be fruitless; suffice it to say
that it is a fact buttressed by official
statistics. No student of economic
and commercial conditions thinks for
a minute that the 1919 business of this
country will fall to anything like its
1910 level. There are those who think
1t will approximate its 1917 or even
1918 level Our 1919 load simply can.
not be pulled by a 1910 engine. The
consumers will surely realize this sim.
pie fact. but unfortunate for them,
they will probably realize its full i'm,
port at practically the same time. They
will wake up some morning to find
that what they want, and in fact bad
ly need. is precisely what the whole
world wants, and in fact badly needs,
viz. COAL.
Let the buyer beware; the price OF
coal. like the price of everything else
in a free country is governed by the
Continued on page tour.)