Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-17
c. of c. Secretary in
Penn. Warns Against
Delay Coal Buying

| IF New Eng land ana OlnCf noith-
ern non-coal producing sections VIII
purchase coal in the early spring and
| not later than early summer, the an
nual coal problem will be nearly
solved" was the statement made by
l.. S. Johnson, manager of the Kit
! tanning, Pennsylvania Chamber OF
Commerce in answering a letter from
! Secretary Folsom of the local Cham
| Der in which he wrote Mr.. Johnson
| for information concerning situations
now existing in the coal district,
| Secretary Folsom became very well
! acquainted with Mr.. Johnson at the
National School for Secretaries and
| because of the fact that Mr.. Johnson
! is a former New Highlander and is
now situated in the bituminous coal
| district he should be in position to
| give accurate information in regard
| to present conditions and has made a
survey in that section. Mr.. johnson
! in his report goes on to say:
1.-The entire trouble with coal prices
and production is that people up
north won't buy their coal when they
| can get it transported cheaply and
easily. They wait until they feel the
| pinch Of fall frosts, then demand of
tIielT COdl uSalSl, anu a. oiNS NSAA'
ery of coal and at a lower price than
he can buy it. When this Is not
| Forthcoming the coal dealer gets
talked to pretty sharply, and there
it ends.
Having lived for many years In
New England can testify to all this,
and say that the art of coal buying
procrastination is certainly one of
which New Englanders at least are
guilty to a tremendous extent.
INV observation also leads me to
say that New England coal users do
not know who to believe as to why
they cannot get coal enough and at
a decent and reasonable price per
ten. There is, and has been, so much
propaganda over this coal supply and
price situa ton, that no one knows
| what nor whom to believe, and the
result is they believe nothing and
nobody. and just damn their coal
dealer and wait until the bins are en-
tirely empty and the cold is upon
them. and then order coal frantically
and pay the high prices asked.
"The miners work not over half of
every year, because northern coal
| consumers refuse to purchase their
coal in the spring for the next win
IeTS COnSuIlpllOH. UeTeIUTS TIE
miners have to earn in less than half
a year, money enough to be equiva-
lent to what they would normally
earn in a years comfortable labor.
They are asked to hustle all fall and
winter, and at the wage of an all
year around scale. You wouldn't
agree to this in your line of work.
and no more can you expect the min
! ers to agree to it.
Coal mining is much more hazard
/ Gus during the cold winter months
; than during the summer. This pro-
! crastinating habit of our northern
! coal consumers. causes an advance in
coal prices just about equal to double
the normal price. Transportation by
both rail and water cannot be car
ried on nearly so eXpediously and
| economically during the winter as
| during the warmer season.
| Coal mine operators can easily
prove that it costs more to haul coal
| to mouth of mines and store than to
| load on cars or barges directly from
mine mouth through tipple, and into
cars or barges. There is possible
deterioration from fire, if for no other