The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-01-09

sy Bruce cLAoErT. I
Assistant to Director General Of Raii-
roada
have the thought that the people
Of the United States would IKE 10
know how their coal supply was han
died during the six weeks strike Of b. |
luminous coal miners. which has lust |
come to an end. This was the fl-st 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 own coal
pile as soon as the strike began end
kept replenishing II from the mi.es
which continued to work, but mean
while the, pile was being diminished
coming In. and before long It became
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. II not months.
| Strike Anticipated.
Several weeks before the coal strike
began on November its coming was
plainly apparent. and therefore the
director general Of railroads, Walker
D. Hines, consulted with all the re-
gional directors of railroads and the
principal mei.lbers of his staff. and
decided that II the strike came 1t would
he the job Of the railroad administra-
ton to make the coal produced go rs
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 consignees
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 ever
rOal actually on the rails at that time
Through this method foresighted con
sumers were placed In position Il
store up. The alternative method
| mould hoyo boov, For tho rotlroo1c "a
have begun to buy coal early in prepa
ration for the strike. thus keeping ~ucl
coal out of normal channels.
Prior to the strike very careful
survey of stocks on hand both of rail
roads, Industries and individuals Ia
far as possible) was conducted so tina
he railroad administration went int,
the strike with as accurate knOwledg
Of the coal situation throughout tn
country as was obtainable. The ad
ministration's original survey on No
vember showed 100000 tons Of b
luminous coal on wheels and in rail
} road storage subject to Distribute
!. under the administrations supervision
To this was added the daily prOdu,
tion which totaled 1S,SOO,OOO tons I
November, and of the aggregate tn
= stocks still available for the -ountry'
protection on December 1, 100000
: tons and on December 8, 11,475.OO
! tons.
Prior to the strike orders were i
! sued by the railroad administrator
t to give preference to coal loading. an
; this naturally resulted in hardship Q
some industries. The result was hoy
: ever, that in the week ended OctObt
: 25 total Of 132OO.OO0 tons Of CO..
|, was produced and moved In the Unite
: States, this constituting record Fl
{ the country. 1t took hard work
r everyone concerned to distribute tn
enormous amount Of coal. Once Il
n strike was on, the production new
: reached 80 per cent of normal. wi
/. the result shown above, viz, that
. addition to using the production eve
4 day, the stored coal in possession
: the railroads was depleted in the S