The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1920-01-14
HOW COAL SUPPLYWA \ handled
DURING BIG STRIKE OF MINERS
Uncle Sam Set Up His Own Coal Pile as Soon as Strike Began and
Kept R%eplenishing It From Mines Which Continued to Work
Nation Able to Last Out the Six Weeks Through
Efficiency of Government Control.

BY BRUCE cLAGETT,
Assistant to Director General Of Rail-
roads.
have the thought that the people
Of the United States would IKE to
know how their coal supply was han
dled during the six weeks strike of b.
luminous coal miners, which has just
come to an end. This was the first ma
tion-wide coal strike the country ever
experienced. and therefore the prob
lens arising were novel. Necessarily,
during the continuance Of the strike,
the exact stacks on hand could not be
made public at all times, although as
to all vital facts, the public seems to
have been kept fully Informed day by
day. Uncle Sam set up his coal
pile as soon as the strike began and
kept replenishing it from the mines
which continued to work. but mean
while the pile was being diminished
more rapidly than new supplies were
coming in. and before long it became
a question Of keeping people warm
rather than what Industries should be
continued. Had the strike continued
much longer many industries would
have had to shut down and people
thrown out of work, but on the re-
stricted basis to which the country
finally came and with the part-time
production obtained undoubtedly the
nation could have carried on" for
weeks longer. If not months.
Strike Anticipated.
Several weeks before the coal strike
began on November l its coming vas
plainly apparent, and therefore the
director general Of railroads, Walker
d. Hines, consulted with all the re-
gional directors of railroads and the
principal members of his staff. and
decided that If the strike came it would
be the job Of the railroad administra-
ton to make the coal produced go as
far as possible. After thorough dis
cussion the plan was adopted Of allow
ing all coal mined up to the time Of the
strike proceed as billed to c%onsignees
on the idea that once the strike actu-
ally began the railroads could look
after their own and the emergency
needs of the country by taking ove
coal actually on the rails at that time.
Through this method foresighted con-
sumers were placed in a position to
store up. The alternative method
would have been for the railroads to
have begun to buy coal early in prepa-
ration for the strike, thus keeping such
coal out Of normal channels.
Prior to the strike a very careful
survey of stocks on hand, both Of rail-
roads, industries and individuals Gas
far as POSSIBILITY was conducted so that
the railroad administration went into
the strike with as accurate knowledge
Of the coal situation throughout the
country a was obtainable. The ad-
ministration's original survey on No
vember 1 showed 90 1000 tons Of BIZ
luminous coal on wheels and in rail-
road storage subject to distribution
under the administrations supervision.
To this a added the daily produc.
ton which totaled 1s,SOO.0OO IONS in
November, and of the aggregate the
stocks still available for the I.ountry's
protection on December l, 12,3OO,OOO
tons and on December 8. 11.475,0 O0
tons.
Prior to the strike orders we're is.
sued by the railroad administration
to give preference to coal loading, and
this naturally resulted In hardship on
some industries. The result was how
ever. that in the week ended October
Is a total of 13.200,OOO tons Of coal
was produced and moved in the United
States. this constituting a record fol
the country. 1t took hard work by
everyone concerned to distribute this
enormous amount Of coal. Once the
strike was on. the production never
reached so per cent Of normal, with
the result shown above, viz, that ir
addition to using the production every
day, the stored coal in possession OF
the railroads was depleted in the si1
weeks of the strike from 22.OOO,OOC
tons to 11.375.OOO tons.
Pile Saved Country.
At times during the strike some com
plants were made regarding the hold
ing Of this cUEA in storage and or
wheels by the railroads. Without sucf
a storage, however, the country woult
have suffered much more than 1t did
and 1t would have been impossible tt
have looked after the emergency re
Quirements of the parts of the country
In greatest need. Throughout thu
strike practically all Of the coal moved
was produced in West Virginia and
Pennsylvania, although some coal wa.
produced In Kentucky. Alabama and
Wyoming and a few other states. Thu
great central competitive fields, how
ever. closed down completely and ont
side Of the stocks on hand the people
IN that territory had to depend entirely
On the coal from the East and upor
the coal In the hands Of the railroad
o. meet just this emergency.
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