The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-11
DISTRIBUTION OF COAL GETTING ON
 A SOUND BASIS
Lieutenant Powell, in Charge of the Alabama Field, Opens Office Here-Working
 Out the System

q have met with a spirit of CO., operation" said Lieut.. P. P. Powell representative of the department of commerce, in the matter of fuel dis tribution in this coal field
 "The coal operators of the dis trict have expressed an intention of carrying out the spirit of the under standing with MT. Hoover in the als- trihution of coal. Under existing ,ircun,stances. Alabama's coal pro auction ought to reach proportions never before attained
 ..T and six other representatives of inc department have been as . sionad hv federal fuel distributor, Il. R Spencer, to the different non union coal producing fields to sec that the distribution of coal IS so carried out that maximum amount is produced in these fields so that the nation does not suffer for coal this winter s
 aIn each district there Is board consisting of MT spencer's repre- sentative, representative of the coal operators and one of the trans portation interests. MT. s. l.. Yerkes is the operators' representative here.
 Course of Procedure
 .The usual procedure dn coal dis- tribution will be for the state fuel distribution authorities to make known the wants of their territory according to priorities and wire same to Washington. The headquar- ters there will also have daily ad- vices as to car supply and mine ca pacity Orders will be transmitted z1.4 fn " fields for execution. The system is being worked out and will soon be operating regularly"
 Lieutenant Powell has headquar- ters at room 1420 American Trust building.
 I. 0. c. Man Here
 J. B. Ford is another official here to see to proper steps being taken in the fuel emergency. He is the representative of the interstate commerce commission. which has de- clared an emergency and has issued orders regarding use of cars with reference to priority orders.
 MT. Ford Is not connected with the fuel distribution, but Is In close touch with that board and will work with it, especially from transpor- tation standpoint.
 Not all coal operators have ex- pressed their intention of abiding by the Hoover price agreement. Mum bers of fair weather mines are under stood to have resumed since the rail strike began and have asked the top spot price that the market would stand. As high as SC has been got ten for steam coal compared with $2.50 month ago. The larger op- orators, however, are understood to be cooperating with the adminis- tration.
 Price Stabilization
 The authorities at Washington are understood to be in close touch with this situation and it is believed that it can be controlled through with drawing car supply from the opera tors who show unwillingness to be reasonable as to prices. State Fuel Administrator Cox is expected in Birmingham today for consideration of this particular matter with view to price stabilization.
 It is pointed out that the demand for coal is so great that with the adequate can. service for coal distri- button. which the government seems determined to afford, there will be such large production that a fair profit per ton is all that Is needed for satisfactory result to the onerators