Evening star., 1922-09-01
BY j. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, September 1.-Bltu-
minous coal production will exceed
100000 tons this week. Soft coal
prices are dropping and producers
and dealers in most sections of the
country declare they will fall stlil
further AS consequence steel
mills and other industrial plants are
today stirring up banked fires and
rushing production toward capacity.
Steam coal has fallen from 81 to
s1.25 a ton in the PennsylVanla sec
tion in the last few days and TINS
grade of fuel delivered at the indus
trial plants of the middle west now
is only so cents a ton above the
apre-strike level, according to today's
dispatches from those sections.
Danger of ShutdOwns Past.
The re-entry of $4,000 miners into
the pits of the Pittsburgh district
auickened production in INDIANA ana
Illinois. Re-establishment of full pay
rolls in the Pacific northwest and
increased efforts in the south are
hlling every coal car that can be
rushed to the mines.
The suueal of the heavily loaded
conveyors is drowning out the COM
plants But it will require bituml.
nous coal production of 1000 :ooo
tons week to relieve the critical
situation completely and put INDUS
try back on safe footing so Tar
as fuel requirements are concerned.
This means 100000 tons more tnan
this weeks approximate production.
Such output will not be attained for-
some weeks. but it Will be reacheu
before reserve stocks are entlfei!
exhausted Except in isolated cases,
the danger of shutdowns from lach
ne inn
Capacity Production Soon.
Goa, mines. unworked since April l,
cannot pick up production at tne
point they left off even with nun
crews. A tremendous volume or WORK
must be done before the normal VOL
ume of coal is reaching the tpples.
Operators declared today, however
that they soon would have their prop
critics producing to the limit
To what extent railroads Will De
hampered in distribution of TINS
soreiy needed coal is still uncertain
but there is no question but that car
loadings will increase. The water
ways will carry their full quota.
Plans are practically completed 10
rush coal to the northwest Dy the
great lakes, with every aVailaole Nes-
sci pressed into service.
Shipping is expected to remain IN
tull operation on the lakes until the
middle of November. and after that
lime shipments by boat VIII go 1or-
ward for a month longer under spe-
hal insurance rates.
Supplies for Thirty Days.
Industrial plants. railroads and pub
iic utilities generally have supplles
sufficient for at least thirty Gays
operation. Miners, paid on a tonnage
basis and idle since April l, are work
ing under the goading spur of money
need. By the time thirty days nave
elapsed, ample coal will have been
made available for regular operation
of plants and prices will have dropped
still further. although not back en-
tirely to normal levels.
Price stability of both coal and oil
fuel may be expected. however. This
was indicated today by the order OF
the New York public service commits
sion reducing gas rates 3 to 10 cents
thousand cubic feet on October l, as
the gas companies are enormous users
of coal and oil. The reductions are
counted on to save gas consumers
$4,000 900 a year in this section and
the order is similar to cuts ordered in
other sections of the country
Some Drop for Anthracite.
Some drop in prices is counted on
even in anthracite coal. despite the
warning by the operators that high
quotations were a necessity II the
miners demands were met. Such de-
cltnes, however, are not expected to
be radical. The anthracite strike,
lowering on the brink of adjustme mt,
has lost it's terrors. Householders
who normally depend on anthracite
are many of them turning to btu
minous or fuel oil. Concerns all over
the east dealing in oil fuel furnaces
and electrical heating supplies are
swamped with customers.
Steel men declared today that the
complaint of the Federal Trade Com
mission against the proposed Midvale-
Republic-Inland Steel Company merg-
er, would have no effect on operation
or steel production in the plants of
those COmDapieS.