Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-04
D. c. COAL famine
LOOMS, BRINGING
DEALERS Warning
impossible to Buy in Any
Market, But Place
Orders Now"
BOOKINGS WILL SHOW
NEEDS TO OFFICIALS
Eastern Homes and Factories Fac
ing Result of Decrease
at Mines.

at Mines.
Probability of coal famine in
Washington. as well as in other large
cities of the east, never was greater
than at the present time, according
to distributors and dealers here.
ITO speak Of coal famine with
the mercury in the thermometers try
ing for the seasons altitude record
may sound absurd" said a representa-
tive of one Of the largest coal dis
tributors in the city today. 1T is not
of the present or the immediate future
we are speaking, however. but of next
winter.
1T seems impossible to buy coal
now in any market. Since early in
June our company has received barely
half a dozen cars of anthracite. That
quantity is not enough to- cover the
floors of our bins.
Every other dealer in the city is
in the same predicament The fact
is, no anthracite coal is coming to
nor has the city re-
ceived any to speak of for weeks
This simply means that unless the
speedily is remedied Wash
ington is going to face a most serious
state of affairs next winter. Condi-
coal. but Washington peo-
pie burn anthracite. Their furnaces
and heating plants are built for that
kind of fuel and will not handle soft
coal economically or satisfactorily"
Decrease in Production.
Marked decrease in production of
anthracite as well as of bituminous
coal. 1t is declared, is one of the
greatest causes Of the existing short
age. Mine operators declare they are
unable to get labor-either the skilled
licensed miners or the common labor
necessary in getting out the coal.
Several reasons are advanced for the
reported shortage of labor. Among
these are refusal of mine laborers who
were drafted and served in the Army to
1 turn to the mines after they received
their discharges from military service.
Mine laborers were not included in
exempted classiications in the draft,
Notwithstanding the fact that mine OPP
orators were being urged to increase
production to the limit. Now that the
former mine laborers are getting out of
the service, the operators declare, they
refuse to return to underground work
and seek other employment If they
fail to find it they simply loaf, instead
of going back to their former jobs.
Anthracite Diverted.
Another reason for the shortage here
and in other places. suggested by men
familiar with the coal business, is that
immense quantities of anthracite are
being diverted to New England and to
shipment of anthracite is necessary, in
order to take advantage<of water trans
portation, as after the great lakes
freeze it is impossible to ship coal ex-
cept at ruinously high freight rates.
AS to the shipment of coal to the
that a considerable part Of such ship
ments might as we'll go forward in the
late fall and early winter as now, as it
all goes by rail anyway.
Movement of the country's immense
grain crops. which will begin in a few
weeks, it was pointed out, will call for
the use of every available freight car
and locomotive. leaving none for hand
ling coal The big crop movement will
require several weeks at least, and will
be followed by the movement of the au-
tumn fruit crops. the movement of corn.
etc. so that unless coal is shipped now
the transportation of fuel supplies will
be deferred at the least until winter
has set in.
Dealers Apprehensive.
With production severely handi-
capped by lack of labor. and with
transportation as badly curtailed by
reason of the necessity for moving the
crops of the country, coal men aver
they have every reason to feel ex-
tremely apprehensive in regard to
conditions next winter.
Notwithstanding unfavorable condi-
tons, coal men of Washington urge
residents to place their orders for
next winters fuel. The orders, they
say, will be filled in turn: though an
other reason exists as to insistence on
the necessity for placing coal orders.
THE situation here is just this.
ington today. This city is not re-
ceiving coal now. Whatever the reas-
ons may be, it is felt that the condi-
ton may be remedied if the dealers
are able to go to the railroad admin
istration with the orders they have on
to give Washington its necessary
stocks Of coal. We know that middle
western cities, close to big bitumi-
nous coal fields. and whose people are
more or less used to that kind of fuel.
are receiving supplies of anthracite.
Now. anthracite coal out there is more
or less Of a luxury. The people can
"
it: their heating plants are designed to
handle 1t, and no great hardship would
be entailed if they had to exc out an :
thracite supplies by the use of soft
coal.
Here conditions are entirely differ
ent. In the first place, Washington is
not an industrial Or manufacturing
city and therefore has no use for
large supplies of bituminous coal
Secondly, Washington people always
have used anthracite. Their furnaces
are designed to use no other kind OF
coal. Even the few central heating
plants here are built with the view OF
using anthracite. Unless dealers here
are able to get necessary stocks OF
this kind of coal, thousands of WASH
ington people are going to suner next
winter.
with the local dealers besieeineZ
the railroad administration. backed
with orders for the necessary win
ter's supplies Of anthracite. 1t Is be-
lieved the present gravely threaten
ing situation can speedily be RENE
died. Unless some remedy is found at
once, however. serious trouble Is GER
tain next winter"
} Admit Deficient Production.
Mine production of anthracite as
we'll as of bituminous coal, 1t is
stated in current coal trade pubilca-
tions, is far below the monthly av-
erage necessary to insure an adequate
e.