The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-27
BEGIN
TO FEAR DANGER
OF COAL SHORTAGE
Curtailment Of Freight Ser.
vice and Closing Of Indus
trial Plants Possible Within
Week.

Local railroads are reported to have
sufficient coal In sight TO operate traf-
fio for about one week. That amount
OF coal is not on hand but has been
provided for Some lines are better
provided for than others, but the gem
eral coal situation with the railroads
here is said to be approaching an acute
stage, The West Kentucky mines are
producing sufficient coal IL is sAid 20
continue the operation of the railroads
in this section Of the country II the
railroads are permitted to use as much
OF 1t as they may require
There were liz cars Of coal In the
Memphis terminal Thursday, as COM
pared with 1873 cars Wednesday. Tho
West Kentucky mines are producing
about 500 cars OF coal per day, about
half OF which Is coming to West Ten
nessee and the Southwest,
The regional fuel committee recently
made an award OF AZ cars 10 the Frisco
railroad, y cars to the Missouri pn.
ctfic ana $50 cars to the Mobile n Ohio
about half NJ this amount has been
delivered, The Rock Island railroad IL
said to be very short on coal
Except for the embargo on cotton
seed, which was put In effect more W
save coal al the oil mills than TO save
the coal required for It's tramporta-
| tion, no embargoes nor curtailments OF
railroad service have been ordered here.
but railroad officials look for some
restrictions TO be put on the movement
OF some classes Of dead freight Mt any
hour.
No action had been taken here Thurs.
| day on the request ~ MIR, Garfield that
| all Industrial plants he closed until Mon
day, and that offices and stores close
mt pm, IN order to save coal Very
| few plants were running here Thurs
day on account ~ Thrnksgiying,
Unequally Divided.
| Although the retall stock of coal in
| the city Is believed 70 be sufficient 10
meet all requirements OF domestic con.
| sumption Until Christmas. the stock ID
| BY no means equally dlVided among the
Dealers Only about -four or five daal :
erh, 81 Ia said. have amy considerable
Aspek HilN fnVchscf tltM ls high spficvxI
sAAtp psisAA eoNl Phe acaiiFH who have
coal however are permitting the deal
cTs who are short % fIl orders from
| " is claimed that the Kentucky eual,
| While cheaper cannot BE- stored for any
| length OF time on account Of loSs from
shrinkngc and deterioration. There IL
some complaint among dealers who put
| In large stocks OF the more expensive
| Alabama coal last summer to meet the
| emergencies Of winter that. the fuel
administration Is now divertlng their
| orders of Kentucky coal TO dealers who
| made no provision for q coal shortage.
| The supply Of such dealers was quickly
exhausted ard they are now getting the
| deliveries OF the cheaper Kentucky coal,
while those who prepared for the emer-
gency have only high priced coal on
| hand.
Nearly all Of the cotton oil mills have
| installed oil burners or are making ar.
rangements to do SO, II Ii said. and In
n few days expect TO be independent Of
coal for fuel In the meantime. how
ever, the fuel administration Is award =
ing the cotton oil companies enough
| 10 meet thclr actunl reeds,