The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-07-16
FUEL SITUATION
CONSIDERED ACUTE
Former Administrator Urges Cover.
nor to Have Conference With
Nearby States.
The State, 18th.

The State, l5th.
South Carolina is faced with the
most acute fuel shortage in it's his
tory, in the opinion of B. B. Gossett
of Anderson, former fuel admlnlstra-
tor of this state.
Mr.. Gossett has written letter to
Governor Cooper in which ne re-
views conditions as regards the sup
ply of coal and he urges that the
South insist that it be furnished with
it's full percentage of coal cars. he
suggests that Governor Cooper call
conference of committees from
North Carolina, South Carolina and
Georgia to consider the matter of
coal shortage and to decide upon
some practical plan to meet the SIT
uation
The former administrator says
that unless something definite and
effective can be done to bring about
an Improvement in the situation IN
the near future, the hardships and
ircorveniences endured in the winter
cf 1917 will be as nothing compared
with what is in store for the state
this winter.
Industrial plants in this state are
able to secure sufficient coal to keep
them in operation now. only with the
greatest difficulty, according to Mr.
Gossett, while as rule coal is avail
able in abundance at this season OF
the wear. Prevailing prices for coal
are .prohibitive, says Mr.. Gossett, or
,6inarv steam coal now selling around
50 to $40 at the mines, which means
s13 or S14 per ton delivered.
It is next to impossible to buy do
mestic coal at any price, according
to Mr.. Gossett, and doubt IS express
ed as to whether or not the dealers
in this state have. as much as two
weeks supply in the aggregate, m
Guiding coal und:r contract which
has not been ship ped and which may
never be shipped.
The present situation. with regard
to coal, Mr.. Gossett says, is due al,
most altogether to shortage OF coal
cars. A large part Of the fuel needs
of South Carolina is supplied by the
Clinchfeld Fuel company, which is
located on the c., c.. and o. railroad,
but at the present time the produc-
ton Of these mines is considerably
less than so per cent. tef normal. due
to the shortage of cars. The c., g.
and o. road actually owns about o..
800 coal cars, Mr.. Gossett says, but
at the present time 5000 OF these
cars are scattered all over the
United States on other lines, whereas
thev should be available for use In
this territory, which availability
would eliminate the fuel problem in
50 far as it concerns the South.
In the course of his letter Mr.
Gossett says that the South, and the
Carolinas and Georgia in particular;
should insist that it be furnished
with it's full percentage Of coal cars
not only because this section is en-
titled to them, but also because there
is no transportation problem in this
section and cars can be kept moving.
Mr.. Gossett then suggests that
committees from neighboring states
be called in to discuss the situation
It is also suggested that the Amerl'
can Cotton Manufacturers assoc1a.
tion, as we'll as the Carolina and the
Georgia associations, have represen'
tatiyes at this meeting, and that the
South Carolina Cotton Seed crush
ers' association also have repre-,
sentative. It is also suggested tha1
a trustworthy coal expert be invited
to the meeting. I'D Mr.. Gossets sug'
gests the name " G. A. Reese, presi.
dent of the Clinchfield Fuel comply
of Spartanburg.