Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-16
PUBLIC UTILITIES HAVE,
SUPPLY FOR 3 MONTHS
Survey Shows Gas Works and Power Company With
Fair Reserve of Fuel-Advancc in Prices
Felt From Strike.

Following a survey made yeStcr
day by tho Retail Coal Merchants
Service Bureau, announcement was
made last night that local coal yards
have about thirty days supply of boti
hard and soft coal.
This survey was made ut the re.
quest OF The Times Dispatch in ar
effort to determine TO what extent
Richmond is being affected by tn,
coal strike.
Coal dealers arc reluctant to offeI
advice, but through the service bu.
reau II was made known that eau.
uous manufacturers are carrying a
fair reserve. The city Gas Works
and the Virginia Hallway and Power
Company are reported TO have sum
cient fuel to operate for ninety days
Some householdcrs arc also excrCiS-
inE care. and even now are filling
bins in order 20 he prepared for cold
weather next fall.
Strike In ProErcsr Two Weeks.
While II Is impossible to forecast
the strikes end, II is pointed out that
should II continue for any length OF
time that the South will feel its eff
feet worst IN the fall. 1t is practi-
cally certain that when the mines
are reopened on full-time basis
that the West will be served first.
This is due TO the fact that after
December navigation on the Great
Lakes Is closed. and consequently
that region served through the Great
Lakes VIII core first
cstcrday rounded out the first two
weeks OF tho strike OF miners. and
neither side. as far as Richmond coal
dealers know, is showing any sign OF
weakening. The anthracite, or Penn
"a ,fNf,
closed. The Logan fields in West
Virginia are closed. The New River
felds arc reported twu-thirds closed.
while practically all OF the mines
In the Central West, or competitive
fields. are virtually at standstili.
both miners and operators claiming
an advantage.
Uncertainty Marks Strike.
The Pocahontas fields are under
stood 10 be producing on practically
a normal @ss. as union conditions
do not prevail there. In the West
virginia region the only contention
between the miners and the opera
tors Is over the reorganization Of
the un!ors. Il is believed. for this
reason. that Richmond may ex2eri-
cncc no difficulty in obtaining soft
coal for Industrial purposes. provided
ioca industries create a reserve Of
coal bending the settlement Of the
oihcrences in West Virginia. Though
TINS Is expected TO take place at an
carry date. no ono is willing to max.
any predictions. as tho whole strik .
SITUATION Us characterized with the
Creates unccrtainty.
fNtn'd"ii" operators at this time
aT" nor quoting prices on ANYTHING
except 'hc large and very small sizes
ard thosa q: Substantially advanced
prices. Prices quoted by sof, cnaI
operators during last week wer,
slightly above those asked the nrc.
NiouS week
Three Things Govern Strike.
ne question of price is one also
OF great IN 'nrtainty Carroll u Ha
gan. secretary o. the Coal Merchants
service Hnreau. said that prices will
ocnend ON three thjngs-ths dura
ZION % tho strike, the final agree :
men; between operators and miners
'"r adjustment "f freight rates.
"rhm"nd coal dealers. II was
ie"hd' ar" nearly as much dis,urbcd
by prevailing high freight rates nc