Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-04-26
EXPERTS FEAR
FUEL FAMINE
Failure of Public to Buy
Early Threatens Labor
Congestion
DEPRESSION BLAMED
Production is Now About 5,0Oo,oov
Tons Weekly Under Safety Mark
200, ,000.O Ton Shortage Seen

Washington, April 26. Genuine
alarm is felt iE governmental, IN
TRANSFORMATION and in coal circles
,ver the possibility CT fuel famine
conditions existing again the coming
winter. This mas been reflected by
President Harding himself, by offic
ials of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and '.-e American Railway
Association and, lastly, by the more
important coal associations.
4 There simply is no m.rk'A for co u
at this time: time, it IS explained
when heavy tonnage ought to be
| moy..s fror, the PINES - those con
sumers who n .,i.nar% tirl"s t@S"
advantage of spring prices and 1aV-
orable transportation cond!tlons 10
! IN their stocks.
The peopl, are not buying any
more coal. it iS stated, than IS neces-
sarv for thei: immediate needs. ms
does rot mean small consumers al
together, for thousands of them nave
gone into the market, as usual, but
theirs is not the Zig orders that
co,nt. Industries and public ut!ll-
,ies which usually Luy in large guam
j titles in the spring and summer are
holding back. for the most part. ana
are causing the deepest concern on
he part of tie Government.
If they continue their buying
ss,ike through the spring and sum, sum.
mer, it IS pointed out, they will create
! such sudden demand for coal when
coal weather returns, it IS insisted.
es cannot be met adequately.
Two reasons arc given for the fail
IRE of the country 70 lay in its nor
NAL coal supply at this time-the
business depression, which has limit
cd the dcmanl for fuel, and the high
freight rates.
The view is hell here that the
business depression argument IS no
excuse for refusal to buy coal. II
4hcre is to be a revival fuel must be
available in large quantities, It Is
argued, otherwise the period Of hard
times vii Be prolonged unncssarily.
Industry cannot resume on large
scale, it is pointed out, without plenty
tf coal in the bins.
The freight rate situation IS more
difficult for the Government and the
Transportation interests to deal with
1he President has referred tc it as
desperate prob, en-, particularly as 1t
,pplies to the movement OF coal.
1.-THE agitatiol over rates has led
manv coal consumers to believe that
s.vcntually tn rates will be lowered
md thus give cheaper fuel.
II is bv 10 meai's certain, now
ever. that th.re will be rate read
1ustment for many months, at least
"ntil the most favorable season for
mining and transporting coal mas
passed. Another phase of the price
matter is that thc cost CT coal at the
mine is now ,,,r or than it has beer
Tor many years. which tends. 1t IS
- arraed. to neutral;ze the high freight
rates.
Experts hold that approximately
550.C00.00O tons Of coal must De
,n;ncd each year to meet the normal
domestic and export demands. II
order 10 provide This tonnage it IS
necessary to produce around 10000
500 tons Of coal week.
While the soft coal output aver
s.ped l2.2l30.j tons week in Octo-
Der. when production for the year
reached It's ne k, i began to drop in
November. al has declined since un-
t'l he output for the week endino
April , wt.s >niv 5.75000O tons. II
the summer T,.ses or this basis, it is
conteaded til, country will be ap.
81 deck h yredd fmiiedoo ! 70 oc
rroximately 'l0.oOD,O00 tons Short
when wint"r cones, a tonnage which
could not be r.aie up with the mos
intensive mining ard the utmost ef
forts on the part Of the railroads.
All condit!o-- EXCEPT market de
,nand and freight rates are said t
bc favorable : resumption Of ccs
mining on ,,,ree scale. There AZ
100000 idle liners clamoring fo
work. There are tens of thousands {
idle coal cars which the railroads al