Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-10-19

err quality Of coal has been shipped
from the mines, continues the report.
Additional millions of dollars are
wasted annually in New England by
wasteful and extravagant use OF fueis,
the average householder burns his fuel
very inefficiently, as the same service
could be obtained with about one-half
the fuel.
Therefore, to help the families OF
New England rid themselves OF the
idea that they are dependent upon an
thracite, as we'll as save money on
their fuel bills, this bulletin is issued
for the information and guidance ol
our householders.
Care of heating apparatus ana gen
eral principles to be observed IN Sc
lecting and burning various domestis
fuels available for use are descrloeo
briefly in this report.
Anthracite and bituminous COAL
either in the raw state or in the form
of coke or briquettes, are the principal
fuels on which our householders must
rely for heating their homes.
Bituminous coal is now burned py
about two-thtrds of the householders
in the United States.
Comparison shows that the annual
household heating bill of New Ehsianu
is at least double that of other sec
lions of the country having slmliar
climate and with which we compete
industrially. Translated into dollars
II means that about S70,000,0O0 year
additional Is included In wages ana
living costs in New England, due to It's
dependency on anthracite. The lower
home heating bill in other parts Oh
, the country is due either TO cllfhatic
conditions or to the fact that pltunhi-
nous coal is generally used for domes-
tic fuel. Our household heating pm
Is more than the bill of our industries
for twice the tonnage of btuminous
coal for power purposes. Therefore
everyone dependent upon the welfare
and prosperity of New England is VI
tally concerned with our domestic 1uei
problem.
In connection with our use Of an
thracite. 1t should be borne In MIND
that the amount produced has peen
practically stationary in the last 10
years, while the population OF the an
thracite consuming section OF the
country has increased over 2oTo.
Either the production of this coal must
be increased with lower costs or the
consumption decreased to prevent
prices from going even higher; this is
an immutable economic fact.
Governmental action in regard to the
mining and preparation of anthracite
must be largely confined to Pennsyi-
vania In November, 1922, the United
States supreme court upheld the con-
tention Of the Commonwealth of Penn
sylvania that the mining. preparation
and taxation of anthracite were en-
tirely state matters; the New England
states unsuccessfully contested this
discriminatory coal tax levied on our
householders by Pennsylvania. 1t is
apparently futile to. expect Pennsyl-
vania interests to take action to repeal
discriminatory taxation, give good
quality coal, insure dependable sup
ply, increase the production or lower
the price of anthracite.
Yearly fluctuations in the output of
bituminous coal are more than the en-
tire annual production of anthracite,
and the bituminous coal industry is
eager and anxious to increase it's bust
ness.
Exports report that the easily mined
anthracite Is being rapidly exhausted.
and in the future the cost of mining
anthracite will increase. Biologists
estimate the supply of bituminous
Goals to be adequate for more than
-VVu sedlS ., consequently the ultimate
depletion of bituminous coal Is not
factor affecting the price to the pres
ent generation.
Already many thrifty New England
householders have successfully solved
their heating problem by using bitum-
nous coal or coke, and some are saw
Ing as much as one-half of their do
mestic fuel bill. 1t requires gumption
and common sense to use other fuels
than anthracite and save money. New
England citizens have a worldwide
reputation for possessing these quail
ties in generous amounts. The time is
ripe to prove it by dealing effectually
with our acute domestic fuel problem.
The remainder of the report is taken
up with instructions regarding the Sc
lection and proper use Of domestic
fuels for home heating.