Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 111, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1918 — Summer Storage of Coal Is Way to Prevent Another Fuel Famine the Coming Winter [ARTICLE]

Summer Storage of Coal Is Way to Prevent Another Fuel Famine the Coming Winter

Before the winter’s fires are cold, the United States fuel administration is urging the storage of fuel for next winter. Every effort that can be made to prevent a repetition of the coal shortage of this year will be jnade. State administrators have already taken up next year’s problem, and they will devote most of their time to it throughout the ’spring and summer. The state council of defense will join in the campaign. Through every official source all coal users will be urged to begin buying and storing coal now 'for next year. Every private user in particular is urged to put in his next coal at the earliest possible date, and gel out of the market. The purpose behind the efforts, of both the fuel administration and the state councils is to keep the coal mines working throughout the summer. Only a comparatively small amount of coal can be stored at the mines. The only places where it can be stored in quantities to prevent the possibility of another famine next winter is on the premises of the individual users and the dealers.

Also transportation facilities are much better in summer than in winter. More cars are available. There is no danger of Bad-weather blockades. TI-mI traffic congestion of the winter month# is not a summer problem. There is plenty of coal. Enough, and more than enough, can be mined, if the mines are kept working all the time. But it cannot be mined unless it is taken away from the mines. And it cannot be taken away from the mines unless there are purchasers. Next year’s traffic problems will in all probability be as great as those of this year. The only way to prevent a coal shortage is to begin piling it up. and continue to do so throughout'the summer.