The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-06-24
(SpeeiaI 10 The Journal.l !

Milwaukee. June 3.-Extortionate
coal prices and the severe fuel famine
will apparently strike their hardest
blows next winter in Wisconsin. Min
i-nesota, the Dakotas. and other states
OF the northwest.
This section depends for it's fuel on
the coal shipped by Great Lakes ves-
sells and dumped at Milwaukee aud
other ports.
The supply now arriving at these
ports is only about one fourth what
it should be to keep the northwest
warm and its industries operating.
Up TO June ! the seasons shipments
of coal by lake boats totaled only l.
497.304 tons. This is a shortage of
3,2l6.730 tons compared with the same
period of 1919.
1t is actually worse than that
really 75 per cent shortage COM
pared with requirements.
For. like other sections Of the ecoun-
try. the northwest didn't have the Gus
tomary carry-over of surplus coal
from the year previous.
At this rate. less than 10000, 900
tons of coal viii travel up the Grea-
Lakes this year against s0.O0o.0Oo tons
needed.
There are isolated cases in which
lake vessels. at present high market
prices of coal, are paying more for
fuel than they can get out of their
freight.
But. in the main. lake shippers are
idle because the railroads have fallen
down on getting coal TO lower lake
ports for shipment
A lake boat takes coal up the Great
Lakes and loads with ore for the re-
turn trip. Since few boats are arriv-
ing with coal in the ore region, ore
shipments down the lakes have
slumped.
Up TO June the seasons shipments
of ore by boats totaled only 3.096.sa
tons against 5.7ae.s5e tons in the
sarpe period of 1918. gThfLs a fuel
femme is being sown at one end of the
lakes and an iron and steel famine at
the other end.
To help relieve this situation, the
interstate commerce commission. June
IL, sanctioned the formation of coal
pool centered in Cleveland. Under this
arrangement coal consigned to the
pool for shipments up the lakes has
right Of way or priority over all other
freight on all railroads touching Lake
Erie.
The l. C. c. has also placed an
embargo on coal shipped TO Lake Erie
ports for destinations up the lakes
except, when consignee can show that
the cars can be unloaded fast
The transportation ball-up was well
illustrated by conditions prevailing at
lower Lake Erie ports June IA. when
"A vessels with 576.421 tons Of ore
were at the docks waiting 20 be un-
loaded, with % more vessels due
within "a hours.
Nearby stood s.32s cars loaded with
an average, Of so tons of coal each.
This coal was waiting 10 be loaded
into the boats as soon as they would
be emptied of ore.
But, "by mistake" the cars that
should have hauled the ore away were
taken back 10 the mines empty, so
the ore vessels and the coal cars had
to wait until empty cars showed up.
Says H A. Adams. head OF the ter
minals committee Of the Cleveland
Chamber of Commerce:
Failure Of lake shippers 10 move
coal is traceable directly TO the short
age of coal cars at the mines. The
terminals are gradually being cleared,
but more empty cars dispatched 70
the mines is the only solution 10 the
coal problem. To accomplish this,
cars must be unloaded faster and used
more efficiently"