Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1918 — CERTAINLY LETS HAVE THEM [ARTICLE]

CERTAINLY LETS HAVE THEM

Wdollten Suggests Lower Coal Prices to Encourage Storage. During a recent conference in Indianapolis which was attended by L. A, Snead, of the United States Fuel Administration in Washington, Evans Woollen, Federal Fuel I Administrator for Indiana, sug- ' gested that if it was desirable for the domestic consumer to store coal this summer, storage could be encouraged by a general reduction of coal prices during the summer months. Mr. Snead was conferring with the county fuel administrators seeking information on ways and means of working out a system of distribution of coal that would bo fair and equitable to all. He had suggested the wisdom of general buying during the summer and storage for the winter to the end that th© domestic consumer could be gotten out of the market before winter’set in. While the discussion centered about plans for encouraging the domestic consumer to buy coal during the summer, Mr. XYoollen asked Mr. Snead to convey to the Fuel Administration in Washington the suggestion that lower 'prices for coal would stimulate buying. This suggestion is in line with the normal tendencies of the coal industry. Heretofore prices have fallen off in the summer and the lower prices have acted as an incentive for heavy buying during the months when the coal trade is at low ebb. It is essential, if we are not to have another winter of anxiety on account of the limited coal supply, that all the mines in the country be worked to capacity during the summer months. General buying on the part of domestic consumers will materially assist in , keeping the mines working and for that reason the Indiana Fuel Administration is urging the state to go in for storage of coal this summer.