Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-10-12
PLAN TO REMEDY THE COAL
SITUATION.

West Virginia Operators Decide
"Fair-Practice Program.
Vital Supplies Assured, and Quanti-
ties Necessary for Private and Indus
trial Use in Northern Judicial Zone
Will be Provided at Same Prices at
Which Commodity Now Brings When
Delivered on Contracts--Commit
Meets to Represent Three Districts.
(E. E. Meredith Press Bureau.)
Washington, D. c., Oct 12.-Coal
at the mines at less than half what it
will bring in the open market is the
proposition Of the fair practices"
committee, a new organization of
Northern West Virginia coal operat-
ors, which has decided to do its. "bit"
in peace times, supplying coal needs
in the Northern West Virginia judi
cial district, which takes in about
half of the state, and includes the
northern and eastern panhandles.
The necessities of the present time
are to be thus met in line with assur-
ances given the Department of Just
ice Of the government fortnight a.
go and E. Drennen, of Elkins, w. Va,
chairman of the flair practices
committee, announced here last night
that the coal consuming territory of
Northern West Virginia had been d.
vided into three districts, similar to
the plan employed by the Fuel Ad-
ministration in war times, and that
all complaints of either shortage of
coal or excessive prices would be at
tended to at sacrifice on the part
Of the coal operators.
The three districts and the repre-
sentatives named are:
Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson
counties. P. Heniel, secretary of
the Chamber of Commerce at Mar
tinsburg, W.. Va.
Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall
and Wetzel countless. ]. Mulve-
hill. of Wheeling, w. Va.
Wood, Peasants, Tyler, Richie
and Writ counties-William Kenn-
edy, of Parkersburg.
'The endeavor will be to provide
such fuel as is necessary for private
family or industrial use in Northern
West Virginia at the same prices at
which coal is now delivered on con-
tracts-$5 to Sc ton f. o. b. rail
road cars at the Mines" declares Mr..
Drennen. 81 suggest that represen-
tatives of companies or individuals
get in communication with the rep
resentatives in their districts or with
George T. Bell, secretary treasurer
of the Northern West Virginia Coal
Operators Association at Fairmont,
w. Va. We will gladly follow up all
complaints and will render such SER
vice as coal men conversant and SYM
pathetic with the fuel situation are
able to do.
"The complaints so far entertain
ed have been of consumers who
bought last spring only a part of
what they needed and sought to have
the balance provided at the contract
price. When unable to do this there
were complaints. In every instance
so far the coal has been provided at
a price satisfactory to the consumer"
The committee consists of E. Dren-
men, chairman, representing opera
tors in the Grafton and Elkins sec
tions; j. C. Mckinley, representing
operators in the Wheeling section
Senator j. L. Hatfield, representing
operators in the Morgantown and
Kingwood section; A. L. White, of
Clarksburg, and C. H. jenkins, of
Fairmont, representing their respec-
i've sections; Douglas German, of
Baltimore, representing the Upper
Potomac section, and c. d. Robinson,
of Fairmont, who has been elected to
the committee Eat large"
The personnel of the committee
represents practical coal men-man-
ayers of large coal operations in
Northern West Virginia, men thor
oughly conversant with the mining
situation and the needs of the sec
ton as to fuel supply.