The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-01-09
nc Sam Set Up His Own Coal Pile Soon Strike Began and
Kept Replenshhg II From Mines Which Continued to Work
Nation Able to Last Out the Six Weeks Through
Efficiency Of Government Control

weeks Of the strike from 22.0O00UO
tons to u.s75.00O tons.
Pile Saved Country.
At times during the strike some COM
plants were made regarding the hold |
ing of this coal In storage and on
wheels by the railroads. without such |
a storage. however, the country would
have suffered much more than II did.
and II would have been impossible to
have looked after the emergency re-
quirements of the parts Of the country
In greatest need. Throughout the
strike practically all Of the coal moved
was produced in West Virginia and
Pennsylvania. although some coal was
produced In Kentucky. Alabama and
Wyoming and few other states. The
great central competitive fields, how
ever. closed down completely and out
side Of the stocks on hand the people
In that territory had to depend entirely
on the coal from the East and upon
the coal in the hands Of the railroads
to meet just this emergency.
At the beginning of the strike coal
was delivered freely to all Of the ten
classes on the fuel administrators pri-
ority list. but soon afterward II was
necessary to restrict deliveries to the
first five classes, which included rail-
roads. army and navy, together with
other departments of the government
state and county Il, partments and In
stitutions. public utilities. and retail
dealers, and toward the end of the
strike 1t was difficult in some parts Of
the country to meet even these re-
quirements. due to the fact that princi-
pally In the middle West the stocks
became almost exhausted and 1t was
necessary to depend practically en-
tirely upon the coal produced in the
East. The amount which could be
shipped West was limited, not by car
supply, but by transportation facilities
and the necessity for moving this
coal West was one of the reasons fol
the curtailment of passenger service
in all parts of the country, which nat
urally led to some hardships and some
complaints.
With regard to these complaints. ,
careful survey shows that, taken al
whole. the country has stood re
markably well the restrictions whicl
had to be placed.
r The action of the government dur
ing the strike which caused the great
est comment was the placing of restrit
tons in connection with the use Of bl
luminous coal and coke in supplyin
light. heat and power to stores, Ofiic
buildings. manufacturing establish
ments, etc. These regulations wer
: put into effect by the railroad admir-
istration on the advice of the rtrf
{ coal committee and unGcr authority G
the fuel administrator. They were pu
into effect primarily as coal col
servation measure and because prior
: their issuance local regulations. som
times more stringent than these reg,
: lations, had already been laid dow
: in many sections of the country. PriC
q to the issuance of these regulation
J. the fuel administrator had issued r
quest that coal for light, Leat ar
n power be conserved as much as pc
e sible. Just as soon as the Indian
8 apolis settlement was reached the a
y torney general, following out pri'
U arrangement, Immediately notified Il
railroad administration, and plans we
= at once begun to modify restriction
n with the result that within two da,
d after the strike was formally ende
n instructions were issued to regional {
v rectors permitting them to remove 4
r restrictions as to the furnishing
II light, heat and power, and also perm
d ting them to restore passenger trai
,r which had been taken off rs coal CO
" ServatiOn measure.
Is The receipt Of the word from
le dianapolis was also the signal
er the releasing Of Instructions AREA
h prepared for the turning Of empty &C
in cars towards mines which were I
y pected to begin operation in order
Of transport the maximum production
X all such mines at once.