The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-08-26
LIG|NITE MINES |. /!
MUST DOUBLE
YEARS R. OUTPUT
President of Association De.
clares that Little Eastern
Coal Will Reach State
INQUIRIES ARE FUTILE
Eastern Coal Orders Not Be
ing Booked, Big Concerns
Declare

The state railroad commission,
acting as the fuel administrative
agency for North Dakota, prob
ably will send a man to Duluth
to see that North Dakota obtains
+; its promised share Of bituminous
coal coming from the head Of
the lakes for distribution over
the Northwest, Frank Milhollan,,
chairman of the commission,
said today. Not much hope is
held out by Mr.. Milhollan for an
adequate supply Of bituminous
coal for North Dakota this win
ter. y. h. -
II have written to dozen big
coal firms endeavoring to obtain
shipments Of COAL" he said, "in
each case the answer has been
that no orders are now being Y
booked beyond the demand al
ready received. It does not look \
like there will be q large supply !,
of anthracite coal offered in the
Northwest. North Dakota must
depend chiefly on Ignite"
Asserting that Ignite coal mines
in North Dakota must virtually
double their capacity to take care OF
the demand for coal which they will
have in North Dakota this fall and
winter, Stanley Washburn, president
of the North Dakota Ignite Coal
Association, has issued an urgent
request to $50 men interested in lig-
mite mines to be present at the con-
ference of operators to be held at
the state capitol on the morning OF
August 80. a..s ao
"In spite Of all promises made
there is little possibility Of there
being a large supply of eastern coal
available in the Northwest, and the
price of the coal offered will rise to
new high price," Mr.. Washburn
declared, stating that he had been
impressed with information concern,
ing the coal situation given by rep.
resentative business men in the
Northwest. "There is bound to be a
shortage and it is very harmful to
have assurances come from Wash
ington and elsewhere that there will
be plenty of coal. It is the belief OF
men closely in touch with the situa-
tion that such eastern coal as is
available will be sold from $12 to
SIS ton in the Northwest"
New Orders Received
Mr.. Washburn said that his COM
pany for the first time in its II
years Of existence had shipped car
loads Of Ignite screenings to Minne-
apolis, and that orders for Ignite
coal have come from Milwaukee,
Chicago, Iowa, and other points
close to central states coal produc-
ing fields. This situation, he assert
ed, was indicative Of the impending
shortage.
The Ignite operators conference
will take up the problem of increas-
ing production Of Ignite coal IN
North Dakota. Operators will be
asked to come in and prepare pro-
gram for the advertising of Ignite
and education as to its uses. The
question of fair price also will be
discussed, he said, it being neces-
sary that Washington fuel admins
traitor authorities recognize a price
which will permit development.
In addition to operators the asso-
citation president has invited to the
meeting representatives of concerns
which sell modern machinery to
mines, with view Of forming a pro-
gram for the increased production OF
Ignite in the state and through IN
stallation of new equipment, makers
of stoves, and other business men,
The larger Ignite mines cannot IN
crease production fast enough TO
meet the demands, he said, and ex-
tension of smaller mines can only be
made with assurance Of fair price
and steady demand, he added.
Fuel Distribution Up
The operators also will consider
making permanent the North Dakota
Ignite Coal Operators Association
which was organized recently ana
which selected officers for its tenn
porary organization.
On the afternoon of August 30 q
fuel distribution congress will pe
held at the ytatehouse, on the call
of Governor Nestos, to consider varl-
Gus problems connected with the
fuel situation in the state and North
west. The Governor urges attend
ance of representative citizens OF all
communities and cities in the state
at the conference.