The New York herald., 1922-07-25
STATE TAKES ACTION
TO FACE COAL CRISIS
Continued from First Page

ficult problems Of transportation while
attached to the A. z. F. In France.
Transit Commission data made public
last Friday indicated that at that time
most of the great utility companies. In
Guiding the Interborough and the Brook
lyn Rapid Transit companies, had on
lad at least two weeks supply Of soft
coal. Gen. Andrews admitted before
starting for Washington that his recent
Inquiries led him to believe very con-
siderable quantities Of the best steam
making Pocahontas coal consigned to
these utility corporations was now be-
ing held up on the rails, with the date
Of its arrival matter OF mnch uncer-
tainty.
John S. Lewis, president Of the United
Mine Workers of America, actively In
charge of the coal strike. was still reg
istered at the Hotel Pennsylvania yes
terday, but it was said there he had left
the city for the dav.
According to coal dealers here sup
plies of hard coal are nearer exhaustion
than even the scanty reserves OF bitu-
minous. The miners themselves are ex-
ultingly pointing out that ''the coal
stored by the companies Is now vir-
tually all consumed and the market has
reached a point where an actual famine
exists-a famine destined to become
more acute as each day. passes" LACK
of cars Is not the obstacle in the an
thracite fled that it Is said to be In
the soft coal districts. According to
statement by the Hazleton and Mahanoy
division Of the Lehigh Valley Railroad
there are between 5000 and 1000 coal
cars waiting on sidings and at tho col
lieries.
SUSPENSION of mining In the anthra-
cite fields made itself felt In BROOKLYN
for the first time when 1t was stated IN
the office OF the Commonwealth fuei
Company. 497 Union street. that marc
coal buckwheat size. had been ADVANCED
so cents ton. Household sizes as ye.
are unaffected in price. but many
\ smaller dealers have virtually reached
the bottoms of their bins and have IN
| formed customers they could no longer
| fill orders.
There will be no sympathy strike or
other action by the longshoremen mere
because of the importation OF britisn
coal. according to the consensus IN snip
ping circles yesterday and last night ex.
pressed by all persons fully conversamt
with the situation. There had been taik
| OF the possibility Of the handlers OF eoal
| on the docks here refusing to handle the
British coal. which is counted upon by
operators to break the strike OF the
miners in this country.
Preparations are under way to handle
| the huge shipments, which VIII pesin
to arrive within a fortnight. and every
possible means Is being used to avoid
confusion as the shipments arrive. More
than Is 900 tons a day can be discharSeo
from ships without seriously taxing IA.
cilties along the docks. 1t was said, and
compa MES using coal discharging and
unloading machines will be able to aic
| In the work
Little or no information as to contem'
plated action has been obtained from
Ia Dor circles. At the offices Of the In
ternational Longshoremen's Association
at II Moore street II was said that the
matter Of strike had been considered
but nothing had been decided upon. An
thony j. Chlopek, president of the or
ganization. will return this afternoon
from q trip to Norfolk and other South.
ern cities. the nature of which could not
be learned, and until he arrives nothing
can be decided.
The fact that the coal being shipped
here Is union mined by the British min.
ers should initiate. against any actior
here by the men. 1t was said. and one
shipper pointed out all coal loaded BY
the union longshoremen into outbound
vessels for several months has beer
mined in American fields by non-unior
miners and there was no protest agains
| this.
Charter rates rose again yesterday and
lAmerican bottoms were quoted at a.
I high as eleven and twelve shillings, al
against seven and eight shillings last
week. The Shipping Board now hal
forty-three ships under charter. Char.
tering was suspended yesterday to per.
NIT checkup of ships already char.
tered The coal service fleet has reached
a total OF about sixty-two ships.