Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1918 — Dwindling Coal Supply Alarms [ARTICLE]

Dwindling Coal Supply Alarms

A new coal shortage as acute as that which two weeks ago brought a government order closing down _ industry is regarded as inevitable by the fuel administration officials at Washington unless there is an immediate improvement in weather conditions. Coal production this month fell off 16,000,000 tons —about one-third* of the normal monthly output—according to reports to the National Coal Association, and snow and ice have so restricted railroad movement that the entire east, officials admit, faces a critical situation. Under preferential orders issued at the time the closing decree Was put into force coal is moving first to ships, households, public institutions and a preferred list of war industries. Other industries, it is admitted, will suffer severely unless there is an immediate change in weather conditions. Fuel administration officials are determined that consumers on the preferential’ list shall be supplied at all events. Under present conditions they see little change to supply the less essential industries.