The Sun. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1915-1932, 1920-11-19
Correspondence The Sun.


WASHINGTON, ID. c., Nov. 16-
Production Of soft coal during the
first week of November proved TO be
larger than had been anticipated in
view Of the occurrence of election
day and All Saints Day within the
same week The total output (includ-
ing Ignite aud coal coked at the
mine) is estimated at 11,3j5,OOO net
tons, decrease when compared with
the preceding week, of 1,O63,000 tons,
or 0.i per cent. The decrease oc-
CURED on the first two DAYS I'm spite
of the decrease, the output was larger
than in the corresponding week Of
any of the last four years The aver
age daily production was 1,s03,OO0
tons.
Preliminary reports indicate a
heavy production during the present
week November TO 49,. Loadings
ON Monday and Tuesday were per
cent greater than on the correspond
ing days of the last week of October.
during which week l2,ils,OO0 tons
were produced. The year 1920 is thus
about six and two-thirds million tons
behind 1917, and a little more than
forty aud two-thirds million tons be-
hind 1918, but Is fifty-ninc million
tons ahead of 1919. In this connection
Il should be remembered that produc-
ton during 1918 exceeded consumli-
ton aud provided for net addition
10 consumers stocks by the end Of
the year of approximately 3O,OOO,0OO
tons. In 1919 the condition was re-
vored, consumption exceeded produc-
ton and there was net draft on
stocks OF perhaps IO.OOO.OSO tons for
the year. Ia 1917 there was no great
change IN stocks.
Anthracite production fell off even
moro sharply than did that of biz
luminous coal, during the first week
of November. The total output Is
estimated nt 100000 net tons, or
only - per cent of the rate during
the thiru week of October, the latest
fulltimc week. The slump was caused
ALMOST entirely by the observance Of
All Saints Day and election day as
holidays.
The last week of October was mark
cd by q production of l2,ils,OO0 tons,
the maximum attained iu amy week
since the great coal strike of Noyom-
Der, 1919. The car supply continued
10 improve aud labor LOSSES 10 rccedc
slowly. The demand was active enough
10 absorb practically an the coal of
fercd. Yet Ia spite of these favorable
conditions, the mines were far from
attaining fulltimc operation. Il Is al
familiar fact that the bituminous in
dustry In the United States, consider
ed rs a whole, is over developed and
over manned This condition has been
aggravated by the high spot prices
which have prevailed in recent
months, which have led 10 many new
developments aud expansion of exc
isting undertakings. At present, II
the mines reporting 10 the geological
survey are representative of the total,
the average mine is operating at less
than 20 per cent of tulltime. Chief
among the causes restricting produc-
ton az the moment is transportation,
followed In order of importance By
labor shortage, strikes, and mine dis
ability.
Labor disturbances over the coun-
try as a whole continued slowly 10 di-
minish in Importance. The average
loss attributed 10 labor shortage and
strikes amounted 10 90 per cent.
There has been a steady reduction in
losses ascrihed To labor since the first
week in October. In the East labor
disturbances of significant proper
tions were confined 10 Section G.
of Central Pennsylvania, Eastern
Ohio, and the Alabama and KenOva-
Thacker fields Losses ascribed to-
labor in the Pittsburg No. s and adj
jacent fields increased slightly, from
40 10 1913 per cent. In Alab0ma, on
the other hand, the loss attributed TO
labor is growing constantly smaller.
With nearly perfect ear supply the
one hundred and forty-three mines re-
porting from Alabama produced dur
ing the week of October 30th total
of 276,O44 tons out of a present capa-
city of $4,000 tons. The labor loss
amounted 10 1871 per cent of fulltime,
as against oil per cent during the
preceding week. Operators in the
Kenoya-Thacker field reported little
change in the long-drawn-out strug-
gle over the unionization of that field.
There was a slight increase in the pro-
duction and in the average operating
time, but the tonnage closed down on
account of labor disturbances was
nearly half of the capacity of the dis
trict. In the Western fields a redue
ton of losses due to labor was report
ed from Kansas, Missouri, and Arkan-
sas. The largest strike in the West
occurred in the Ignite fields Of Colo
RADIO, where all but three mines we're
closed down during the last half of
the week. The tonnage lost on ac-
count of strikes in the state was APP
proximately 1901 tons, or 7.S per
-