The Holly chieftain., 1919-07-03
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.

The United States Geological Survey
announces from Warrington the prob
ability Of another general coal short
age next fall and winter. The an
nouncement 10 based. the Survey
states. upon q nationwide study Of
conditions In the bituminous field.
Unless steps are taken at once, the
Survey says, to place the mines upon
a basis of increased production there
10 every prospect Of a repetition to
some degree Of the situation that pre-
vailed in the United States during the
winter of 1917-18.
The only way production can be stim.
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
1892, 600 net tons, or approximately
26B below production during the first
Ave months ofs191s. Mines are produc-
Ing coal nov at the rate Of from S,OOO,-
900 to s,5OO,0O0 tons week. An aver
age output Of 100000 tons a week
must be maintained from June to
January 1 next If the country's esti-
mated needs Of 100000, 900 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-
quired tonnage. The tendency on the
part Of buyers to hold off placing their
orders 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 Of less adequate
transportation, will be unable to meet
the demands. The result of such sit.
uation would be an insufficient supply
for the requirements Of domestic con-
sumers, public utilities and Industrial
users generally.
ut is believed that requirements for
this year." reads Survey statement
to Fuel Administrator Garfield, "will
be about $50, 600, 600 tons Of bituminous
coal, of which approximately 10000 900
tons have been used from stocks accu-
mulated last year, leaving 6OO,O0O,OO0
tons to be produced. OF this 5OO,O0O,-
600 tons 178,0OO,O00 tons were produc-
ed during the first Ave months, leaving
S22OOO,000 tons to be produced in the
remaining 80 weeks, or an average Of
100000 tons a week.
'Thus far this year production has
been at the rate Of $4,000 tons a
week. In 1918 production was at the
rate of 11,300,0OO tons week.
"This production will be difficult of &C.
complishment. The capacity of operat-
ing mines at the present time with labor
now on the payroll is about 1919 lower
than 1t was last year. This deficiency
may be made up in part or wholly II
the mines have orders sufficient to run
them five or six days week unless the
threatened exodus Of foreign-born 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-
ations while a new wage agreement is
being negotiated would, Of course, seri-
ously interfere with the production of
coal and II 1t should occur during the
fall would cause panic among buyers
and consumers Of coal"
There Is no use In gambling upon
this Or any other contingency, fuel ad-
ministration officials say. The firm or