Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-08-03
THE coUNTRY's STORAGE SUP
PLIES OF COAL

Maine coal dealers are having no
trouble in getting their supply OF
anthracite" said an Augusta dealer
the other day when his attention
was called to a report showing that
the storage supplies of coal in the
country are unusually small. 1t
was the opinion of this dealer that
there is now more coal stored in
New England than ordinarily at this
time Of the year and that New
Englanders would suffer little If
the threatened strike Of the miners
becomes a reality.
While there was no general dis
cussion Of the subject at the meet
ing Of the Maine Coal Dealers held
recently at Tacoma, the belief was
expressed by many that the anth-
racite miners will lay off work
September l, although there was a
great difference Of opinion as to the
probable length of the strike.
A strike Of long duration would
naturally mean greatly increased
demand for bituminous coal from
those who usually burn anthracite,
and this Increased load upon the
bituminors coal carriers would
mean. according to the prediction of
The Railway Age, strikes not only
in the anthracite but also in some
Of the bituminous mines.
There Is less coal in storage in
the country than at any time since
January !. 1923, when storage sup
plies were still depleted by the ef-
fects Of the great coal strike of 1922,
and the amount Is still declining,
according to the statement of The
Railway Age.
"On April !, 1922, in anticipation
Of the strike in the bituminous mines
which began on that date, says that
''the amount stored had
been built up to about SO million
tons. During the five months Of the
coal strike three-fourths of the stor-
age, supplies were wiped out. Then
for more than a year the production
and transportation Of coal progress
ed on a large scs.le and en- January
/. 1924, storage supplies reached 62
million tons.
During the year and nine months
that have elapsed since then con-
sumption has steadily exceeded pro-
duction, and in consequence storage
supplies have steadily declined. The
80
June !, 1925, there were in storage
only 80 million tons Of bituminous
coal. We do not know exactly at
what rate coal .aas been consumed
since then, but we do know that from
June l to September /, 1924, con-
sumption averaged 8,666,000 tons
week, and it is reasonable. in view
of general business conditions, to
assume that the weekly rate of con-
sumption this summer has been at
least as large as it was last summer.
The reports of the Geological Sur
vey show that the production of
coal during the seven weeks frcm
May 80 to July IS averaged only s.
431, 900 tons a week. This would in
dicate that since June l storage sup
plies have been reduced at the rate
OF about 235,O00 tons a week, and
that there are now only about 36
million tons in storage.
This Is the smallest amount that
ever has been in storage at any
time since June /, 1920, except dur
ing and Immediately following the
great coal strike of 1922; and if pro-
duction and consumption should be
continued at the present rates until
September l the supply in storage
On September would be only about
"a million tons, or 13 million tons
less than on September /. 1924, and
20 million tons less than on Septem-
Der l, 1928, and only IL million tons
more than on September ], 1922,
just before the great coal strike
ended.
The railways can transport
great deal more bituminous coal
than they are now handling. 1t
would be much better, however, for
the railroad business in particular
and business in general if coal were
shipped in larger amounts in the
summer months with the result that
the railways would be called upon
to handle less of 1t in the fall and
winter months. Furthermore. there
is a limit to the amount Of coal the
railways can transport, especially
when it becomes necessary to move
1t over new routes because of
strikes. The supplies now in stor-
age give the public a very narrow
margin Of safety, and If it were
wise 1t would begin buying and stor-
ing more coal at once"