The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1920-07-10
THE COAL SITUATION
Gloomy Outlook For the Northwest
the Comming Winter

Inc diamond Drill has repeatedly
warned its readers that the outlook
for coal the coming winter is gloomy
There Is lots OF talk about the gov.
ernment taking hand and compel
ling the distribution OF coal but the
government seems TO be impotent to
do anything towards relieving the sit
uation.
In the copper country there is dan
ger OF the mines being closed because
OF a lack OF coal. The big companies
cannot get an adequate supply and
refuse to pay the gougers who are
digging into the pockets OF the peo-
pie deeper than ever before
The prospect is now that there will
be featless and lightless days all over
the United states for the coal supply
is now so far behind that II will be
impossible to any where near catch
up.
Local mines are not well supplied.
The Carpenter people have received
considerable slack coal but the other
mines are not stocked up at all
From Washington comes word that
the increase in coal supply for the
first week covered by the order of the
Interstate Commerce Commission was
Just about four percent" according
10 car supply experts of the Amer
lean Railway Association.
This is all that has been done, TO
fill the shortage of 40 TO &C per cent
in mine production, prevent threaten
ed fuel famine and bring down prof.
teering prices that may tap the peo-
pies pocketbooks for $4,000, ,000.00
Although the /. c. c. seems satisfied
that the railroads, with a few minor
exceptions, are doing everything pos
sible. exactly the opposite impression
s gained at rail headquarters.
What's the use Of 100 per cent
car supply?" asked one Official. "The
coal operators say IL we give them
the cars they can produce $4,000, 900
tons weekly. II we did provide the
cars II would be absolutely impossible
to haul the coal from the mines. We
simply can't handle H."
Rail officials say, however, that the
four per cent increase does not ac-
curately indicate increased movement
OF cars. Many cars started to the
mines had not arrived, or had not
been loaded in time to be included In
production records for the first week.
Two, or perhaps three weeks must
pass before the maximum increase in
supply will be reflected in coal out
put.
No one In the rail circles believes
anything like 1S000,000 tons weekly
can be achieved. Twelve millions tons
will be considered good, and $4,000 900
tons the limit.
No possible car supply can make
up the shortage OF coal in some sec
tions, 1t is said. Shipments by lake
boats to the northwest falls far short.
Uu to July one only about 3,2500O0
tons had been delivered at the lake
ports for shipment, as against s,000,-
900 tons normals delivered to this
date.
Total lake shipments required TO
meet northwest needs next winter is
30 900 900 tons Thus more than 26,- |
100000 tons would have TO be moved
In the four months before navigation
closes. Neither railroads. boats nor
docks can handle such tonnage, say
rail officials.
Meanwhile, labor difficulties are
cited by the roads as big factor in
heir failure TO comply with the ]. c.
:. order. walkouts in gateway term
mails at Baltimore and Philadelphia
rave tied up thousands OF cars and
delayed other thousands.
Also thousands of cars are being
ield on tracks, loaded with coal for
he railroads own use. The roads are
lsing the cars for storage. This Is
rue OF New England roads. notably
he Boston & Maine, and OF through
Dads in the central states. !. c. c.
members say the roads will be re-
uired to dump and return these cars
o the mines.
The commissions power to enforce
Is order strictly lies only courts, a
low process II the railroads continue
o envade X. II
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