Evening star., 1924-08-14
III HENRY FORD IS NOW:
: IN COAL BUSINESS.
Will Sell Surplus From Big
Kentucky Mine to Public
in Northwest.
BY J. &. ROALE.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.


NEW YORK, August 14.-Henry
rord is going into the retail coal
business in the Northwest. This fact
has become known with the arrival
at Duluth of the Benson Ford. one of
the Ford Motor Company's fleet. with
a cargo of coal from the Ford Ken
lucky mines. w. B. Mayo, chief
engineer for the automobile manu-
facturer. who arrived on the vessel,
Immediately took over the property
of the Superior Coal and Dock Com
Dany which has been rented to the
Ford Company for one year.
Mayo announced that the coal
brought to the head of the Lakes by
the Ford fleet would first be used to
MI the needs of the various automo-
bile plants in the Northwest and that
the remainder would be sold to the
public. At first. Mayo added, the coal
would be disposed of in carload lots
and sales offices will be opened both
in Duluth and in st. Paul or Mime
apolis.
Will Bring Back Iron.
Mayo will return to the head of
the lakes from final trip to De-
troit for instruction on the Henry
FORD "a next week, when the final
plans for distribution and handling
of the fuel viii be made public. The
head of the lakes will load iron ore
at Duluth for the Ford plants at
River Rouge, Mich. Two additional
boatS now under construction will
be placed in operation within a short
time. Extensive improvements also
viii be made to the Duluth docks
to facilitate handling OF this traffic.
Ford recently offered to buy the
dock. now in the hands of receivers.
outright for s650.0O0, but his offer
was rejected. Arrangements are
completed, however which secure the
use OF the property for rental of
$4,000 year.
Ford Owns Huge Mine.
Within the last few years. Ford
has acquired coal acreage in Ken
tucky of tremendous production pos
sibilities. For some time he has sold
coal and coke to his own employe IS
in Detroit at less than the dealers
prices, being in an advantageous
position through transportation of
coal from his own mines over his
own railroad.
The new plan for the northwest
therefore, would seem to mark an
even greater expansion of activities
The operation of vessels to carry
automobile parts alone to the head
of the lakes for trans shipment to
various Western assembling plants by
rail scarcely would be profitable, but
with his vessels carrying coal up and
ore down, the handling of Ford parts
at least part way by water, seems
likely to be seriously considered.
Lake Shipments Slow.
The movement of coal over the
Great Lakes has already suffered
receSSionS this season. Estimates
based on shipments to upper lake
ports from Cleveland and other Lake
Erie harbors SO far this year, indicate
that the coal transported up to the
close of navigation will fall 1000. 900
tons below the total of $4,000, 900 tons
carried in 1928.
The iron ore movement on the
lakes also has take a decided drop
this season, and now is scarcely eX-
pected to reach 45,000,0OO tons, as
compared with a total of 10000 900
tons. last year This is due in some
part to, recession of activity at the
iron and steel plants. but it also has
been affected by the coal situation
Vessels have been unable to operate
at profit unless they could secure
full coal cargoes up the lakes and
carry ore down.
Many Vessels Withdrawn.
IhdS idht NtSStlS nave peen "lln-
drawn from service, and there are
now nearly 100 vessels in the idle
fleet. Even if there were a striking
Improvement in the movement of lake
traffic, the season now is so short
that the idle time could scarcely be
made up before ice closes the harbors.
The improved financial situation of
the agriculturists in the Northwest
has placed emphasis on the plans re-
I'd in h nj ont IF Ill
parts to that section. Dealers in that
territory fully expect to hang up sales
records during the latter part of the
year.