Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-17
Ignite man
WANTS JUSTICE
Development Of Industry
Depends Upon Fair Price,
Operator Says.

Bismarck, Aug. 17.-Lignite coal
operators in North Dakota must be
assured Of a fair rate for .heif out
put If there is to be extensive devel-
opment of the, Ignite industry in the
state this year. Stanley Washburn.
president OF the recently organized
North Dakota Ignite Coal Operators
association. said in a letter dispatched
today to r. B. Spencer, national fuel
administrator at Washington.
TThe uncertainty in regard to prices
has Yade the> Ignite business so, far
a speculation rather than al industry ;,
said Mi. Washburn In his letter. IF
North Dakota is to mine q Sufficient
quantity Of coal this year to be ii real
factor in helping out the northwest It.
Is public policy for the mines in the
state to have a fixed rate for their
output which will warrant every small
mine In pushing Its development to
the Waximum capacity. Obviously few
of tile smaller mines and there ARE
over 100 of them in the state, dare
venture on the purchase OF new equip
h1ent. etc. making quantity production
possible until they are sure exactly
w%hat>price the government IS going to
allow One Of the functions Of the
North Dakota Ignite Coal Operators
association was to form a medium Of
contact with the government to lind
out exactly what rates the government
is going to consider fair iii North
Dakota. Under the old wage,scale the
$3.50, at the mine fer the average
run of mine coal is probably fair to
those operators who have adequate
railroad facilities, but there are many
mines in this state, probably 100 Of
more, that are Obliged to haul tl1eiy.
coal by. wagon to the neares. railroad
terminal, Or else Il the expense
themselves OF having spurs put into
their properties. E 1
( Speaks for Small Mines.
IN think the so-called fair rate in
North Dakota should allow some ex-
ira margin. for the mines which have
to haul coal by wagon or undertake
new expenditures in putting in new
lFpurs. to. their property. Or other ex-
~traordfnary expenses. The difference
OF Us to SO cents per ton to the con-
sumner may make the difference as to
whether Or not, a great many of the
small mines operate at all, and l. think
this differential above the $3.50 per
ton for the average mine run.''whch
| understand to he the price your ad-
mtnistration is fixing. will make the
! uAAACA INV VI ItIlIurcuS III lIlOuSd HuSrOI
tons of coal put out in North Dakota
this winter.c
Mr.. Washbarp renewed the request
Iof the operators association for the
appointment ofra North Dakota opera
tors Representative on the national
advisory committee. Mr.. Spencer had
replied to such a suggestion that he
believed one representative Of the
consuming public in the northwest
could handle the situation.
THE reason that the association. Of
which l am president asked for a rep
resentative in Washington" wrote Mr..
Wash burn, sis because the Ignite In
dustry is a pioneer one and not anal
ogots to the established coal indus
tries of the central and eastern fields.
There mrs. as you know. over Co.,
600. o0o, 900 tons Of unmined coal in
North dakota. This will run from 60
to 85 per cent of the heat and power
values of the Illinois coal which nor
rnally comes to the northwest. A great
ideal OF our coal here is easily devel-
oped and provided North Dakota is
assured Of a fair rate at the mine the