The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1921-07-17
HIGH PRICE, COAL IN SIGHT,.

Wise people who know they must
buy coal between now and next win
| ter will buy it as soon as practicable
says the Railway Age. Foolish PEG
| pie who know they will have to buy
coal will postpone buying it and prob
ably pay dearly for doing so. If there
is any considerable increase of manu-
| featuring and other forms of indus .rial
activity, there win be a coal short,
age, and a serious one unless buying
| for business; and, domestic purposes
soon increases. very largely.
THE normal increase in consump-
tion of. coal in the United States for
long time has been from 19,eiiI,G0O
to 20,000,0OO tons a year. The year
1914, like the year 1921, was year Of
depression. Nevertheless, in the first
six months Of 1921 the amount CT coal
produced and shipped actually was
100000 tons less than in the same
months of 1914, seven years ago, and,
in fact less than in the first six months
of any Of the last eight years except
1875. 1t was 3O,000,000 tons less in
the first six months of 1921 than in
1918: 10000, 900 tons lesJ thaa in 1916;
n, 100000 tons less than in 1917; Sc.
100000 tons less than in 1913, and g.
600 900 less than in 1920: At the pres
emf rate of output the total production
of 1921 would be less than 400,000,000
tons. The last year in which less than
this amount of coal was consumed was
|1909--twelve years ago.
'"The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion has become SO alarmed regarding
the situation that Chairman Clark has
made special appeal TO the railways
and public utilities to inIease iaelr
purchase and storage of coal. Many
OF the railways and public utilities are
doing so, but there is limit to the
beneficial effect this will produce. Tn
less other business concerns and de-
nestle consmers speedily and largely
increase their purchases the country
will have serious coal troIbles this
winter.
There Is every reason why consum-
ere that can buy and store coal TO pro-
vide for future needs should do so
now. The railways today have sur
plus of 10000 coal cars. in addition.
they have over 10000 coal cafs in bad
order, manysof which could soon be
put into service If there was demand
for them. This makes total Of al
most $1,000 coal cars for which there
lis no demand now; but past exper.
ence shows that a large Increase OF
coal traffic in the fall and winter
would soon wipe out this car surplus.
age and create shortage.
1T is as certain as any future thing
can be that there will be no substan.
tial reductions III freight rates on coal
this year. Tha railroads themselves
are paying or coal prices per ton
which, according to the latest Stats
ties available. average $4.40 per ton, II
about $50 per cent higher than in 1916
The advances in rates on coal have
averaged nowhere near this much, and
the railways cannot afford 10 redrce
the rates on coal when they ara having
to pay such high prices fos IL. Fur
thermore, there seems no prospect OF
any considerable reductions in prices
or coal, because the mine operators
are still paying the mine workers me
highest wages in history and under
their contracts viii have to continue
to do so until April /, 1922.
"All past warnings regarding the
Increasing danger OF coal troubles
rext fall and winter have hoea dis,e-
garded by the public. It Is "a be hoped
that the warnings now beiag given
y i'll receive more attention.