New Britain herald., 1922-08-10
Estimate is that at Pres. ent There Are Hardly 1000 Tons on Hand Waterbury Has Less.
Early Settlement of Hard and Soft Coal Strike Is Predicted by Union Off. cials at Cleveland.

That a coal shortage of more or less acuteness during the winter months is inevitable. is the opinion expressed this morning by Frank H. Johnston. president. of the City Coal & Wood company, who presented fig ures to substantiate his statements that the resumption of mining activi- ties on the broadest scale possible, could not at this time bring the sit uation back to normalcy before the winter months.
 Less Than 1000 Tons.
 Mir. Johnston ventured to state that ! thorough combing of coal bins throughout the city would show less than 1000 tons of anthracite. A canvass of the citys coal dealers in- dicates that while there Is a small quantity of pea coal, majority of those handling the commodity had not a pound on hand, none on the road and no immediate prospects of getting any.
 Shortage Inevitable.
 If mining was to be resumed today and every possible effort exerted to produce sufficient amounts to meet the winter demands. the market would show, on January 1, 1923, a ten mill Hon ton shortage, the local dealer estimated.
 For the past five years, the aver age coal production during the first seven months of the year. has been 45,ooo,ooo. In the first seven months this year, 1t was 22,0o0.ooo, leaving 23.ooo.000 tons short. Under the $. raost favorable of conditions, the monthly average rarely exceeds B. o0o,o0o tons, hence the improbability that conditions can be brought back 10 normal before the winter sets in, Mir. Johnston reasons.
 Cut Down. Or Suffer.
 Someone must cut down or suffer, was the conclusion the dealer reached. He felt that national, state and local administrators should keep their hands off and the situation would be worked out by the dealers and consumers with greater benefits to all.
 Biz Demand for Coal.
 
 James P. Sullivan. owner of the Sullivan Coal Yards, reported callers to the number of nearly 100 at his office during the last few days, all with the same errand-to procure coal. He has some pea coal, but Is holding 1t for urgent cases and for hotels restaurants. the hospitals, lodge buildings, etc. He has no more of the ommodity on the road. The strike situation cannot be guessed at with any degree of certainty, he as- serted, and he hesitated to be too optimistic about the outlook.
 Not Ton on Hand.
 At the Berson Brothers yards, 1t was reported that not a ton or coal is on hand and little on the way. MT Berson felt that a steady flow would come directly after the strike IS settled, and while a gradual process would be required. the bins would be filled in time to guard against dan gerous shortage.
 Optimism Is Voiced. Optimism was the keynote of a statement emanating from the office of the sovereigns Coal company. Early settlement of the strike and of the rail situation would make possible de- liveries here in time to supply all, 1t was anticipated. Orders now on hand will be graduated down, however, until the ordinary flow of stock is again started, 1t was explained,
 Damon Predicts Shortage.
 Statements of W. l.. Damon. head of the coal and lumber company that bears his name. were along the same line as those of Mir. Johnston. He could not see how shortage could he avoided when the country is going on its fifth month of virtual cessa- ton of production. Positive action by the heads" at Washington, he felt. would do much to clear up the situation. Mir. Damon has had the assurance of one of the country's largest shippers that New Britain would receive early attention. follow ing the reopening of mines.
 Shurberg Has None.
 "None on hand and none on the road" was the answer given at the Shurberg yards to question regard ing conditions there. At the stanley { svea bins, there Is quantity Of pea coal. but not a great deal [ The board of education has been l unable to secure bids on hard coal j and will shortly reopen the schools (Continued on Eleventh Page). (
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