The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-06-25

tEditors Note-The Journals coal
investigators already have revealed
the prospective $4,000. 600 900 profi-
fteering in coal. and the famine threat
ening. particularly for the northwest.
Tomorrow's report will touch another
vital spot, the car congestion caus-
ing it alL)
Especial To The Journal)
Hampton Roads. June 24-Practi-
cally the entire output OF Pocahon-
tas, West Virginia splint and Ken
tucky block Goals is flowing east for
export through Hampton Roads and
other Atlantic ports.
The movement is so great that these
three. the highest grades of American
domestic Goals, have virtually dis
appeared from the domestic market
and cannot be bought by Americans
at price within reason.
No matter how big the American
retailer bids, the exporter goes him
a dollar better-and gets the coal
The export drain is particularly
strong on the output gof Pocahontas
mines and the mines around Fairmont
and New River. W. Va. To get this
cream of American coal, exporters are
paying as high as s11.50 net ton,
correspondingly higher prices for
Pennsylvania anthracite
Coal jobbers say that if this. price
were cut in half. the operators would
still be getting a fair price.
The heavy export demand sets the
price pace for the American who buys
in the domestic market
Americans either pay the export
price or don't get their orders filled
at the mines, for the demand for coal
at Tidewater is now unlimited. Ex-
porters are taking every ton they can
get.
No matter how scarce coal is. no
matter how scarce coal cars are, the
exporters order is filled first.
These export shipments, as they
flow east, have ologged the railroads
so that New England mills have run
up and $. o. s. signal. They want
some of this coal diverted from Hamp-
ION Roads and other ports and hauled
INTO New England.
Senator Walsh, of Massachusetts. is
embargo of some form on
,oal exports. He points TO England.
which has recently clamped on the lid
oy limiting coal exports TO 10 per
,ent of her total production, though
n 1s13-1914 England exported "a out
If every 100 tons of coal from. her
mines.
Export Double.
England, according TO Walsh, Is
s keeping her coal at home, then
ouying American coal and using It as
! medium of exchange for acquiring
Cuban sugar. Argentine beef and raw
from Mediterranean coun-
ries.
Walsh has compiled figures show
ng that about 1000, 900 IONS Of coal
we're shipped out of the United States
Turing April. His information from
oal men is that by midsummer the
xport shipments may be as high as
100000 tons a month.
This would be at a yearly rate of
g 100000 tons. In other words, out of
very IL tons of coal mined in the
United States, one would be exported.
Americans who want this coal, but
ant bid against the export price,
'oint out that as the coal shortage
'ets more acute every ton taken from
he domestic market and shipped
broad is an increasingly greater
rain.
Canada is big factor in our coal
xport market. Her mines supply
My Al per cent of her coal needs,
nd in 1920 she will probably buy
bout 22.000.000 tons of American coal.
Canada has thousands Of American
oal cars, which she is holding as
ostages until American railroads To-
ate and send home other cars that
elong in Canada but haven't been
eturned to her.
Attempts to get these gondola and
opper coal cars back 10 the United
tates will apparently be Intellectual
ntil our railroad congestion is un-
aveled and an exchange can be made.