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Show THE COAL INDUSTRY OF UTAH (By John S. Critchlow, General Sales Manager U. S. Fuel Co.. Salt Lake City, in Mineral Number Mining Min-ing Review.) Utah "coal operators bid fair to come into their own. For the past few years the production in Utah has so exceeded the demand that the resultant re-sultant has been an era of low prices and cut-throat competition, making necessary the large use of red ink in closing up the year's balance. As to the quality of the Utah product: pro-duct: Jt has demonstrated so many times its superiority over almost any coal with which it comes in competition competi-tion that all of those interested are satisfied that with anywhere near an even chance, or even with a moderate mod-erate differential in price against it, Utah coal will hold its own. It has qualities which appeal to both the dealer and the consumer: For the consumer it furnishes a maximum of heat, with a minimum of ash, and for the dealer it gives a storage quality qual-ity and a physical characteristic which makes it the most economical coal he can handle. Most of the Utah coals may be stored for a period of from twelve to eighteen months with a very little loss from disintegration. In comparison with the coals produced pro-duced in the lignite fields it has the disadvantage of being slightly sootier, but this is overcome by its lasting qualities and strong heat unit value. Competition Among Producers The intense competition among producers has had the effect of convincing con-vincing dealers throughout the territory ter-ritory served by Utah mines, that it was unnecessary for them to store coal. They have been continuously solicited by salesmen, and an order placed was generally filled within the next few days. Thus, one great selling sell-ing quality of this coal was entirely lost; i. e., its storage value was not appreciated. However, the aggressive aggress-ive competition has had one excellent excel-lent effect; in that it. has enlarged the territory to be supplied by Utah coal. The Market Utah Coal Commands The market which is .in command of, and practically controlled by the mines of this field, consists of the state of Utah, Nevada, Idaho, southwestern south-western Montana, eastern Washington Washing-ton and Oregon; and California, both north and south. At the present time coal from Utah absolutely dominates dom-inates in the state of California, and through a process of education, which is involved in its use, it will undoubtedly continue to do so for many years to come. California has been controlled, up to the last few years, by the importation of coal by j boat, but the scarcity of bottoms in jwhich to ship, and in addition to this, the embargo placed on coal by j the British government, have cut off this supply almost entirely, and dur-i dur-i ing the year 1016, the amount of !coal imported from Australia. Japan land British Columbia has been very limited. Here, again, the superior quality of Utah coal has won for it I a place from which it will probably never he removed. , Intense Car Shortage ! During tho latter half of 1 0 1 R pro ducers have suffered from an intense in-tense tar shortage, as well as from a restricted labor supply, and every producer has been able to sell all the coal he could ship. This, of course, has had the effect of increasing the price, something which has been a very apparent necessity for many years. Practically all producers in Utah are receiving from $3 to $3.50 per ton f. o. b. mines for their lump coal, which is a healthy condition, and furnishes or would furnish, if they were able to produce a normal output a very handsome return. Coal Producers Face Ecnn Year However, the conditions referred to above have crippled production to such an extent that the coal producers pro-ducers are facing another lean year. The lessons learned during the year 1916 will undoubtedly have a very cond effect and will furnish inducement induce-ment for dealers to carry a reserve stock, which can be put in. in the summer time, when the mines are able to ship promptly, and really need orders. To foster and encourage encour-age such a movement, there should be, and undoubtedly will come, a graduated scale of prices. The low prices prevailing in the months of May, June and July, and maximum being reached in the month of October, Oc-tober, to be sustained throughout the winter. t Coal in Storage If financial inducement can be made to the coal dealer sufficient for him to he reimbursed for the use of his money, and the additional outlay out-lay for labor, there is no question but that almost every retail dealer would stock to the maximum. This is a matter which has been given very serious consideration for several sever-al years, by Utah producers, and bids fair now to achieve some tangible result. Production of Coal The production of Utah coal in short tons during the year ending November 20, 1916, as furnished by State Coal Mine Inspector J. E. Pet-tit, Pet-tit, was 3,621,935 tons; this is an increase in-crease over 1915 of 538,259 tons; the production of coke was 424.294 tons; this is an increase over 1915 of 66,722 tons. The distribution, furnished from the report of coal mined, shows: Manufactured into coke, 742,418 tons; shipped to Salt Lake City, 384,346 tons; shipped to other Utah points, 934,290 tons; furnished to railroads, 540,346 tons; shipped to territory outside of Utah, S80.425 tons; used at the mines and wasted, 140,088 tons. Railroads Use Large Amounts It will be noted from this report, that a large tonnage is being used by the railroad companies. This, it might be added, should be greatly increased, in-creased, as reports from the oil fields indicate that fuel oil has reached a point in price where it is becoming too expensive to compete, where it has to be transported any great distance. dis-tance. This will undoubtedly result in railroads using coal and dispensing dispens-ing with the oil burners. Use of Dust Burners The use of dust burners, furnishing furnish-ing an ideal fuel for large steam plants, would appear to furnish a solution so-lution of one thing which has been a very vexing problem; i. e., the dis position of small sized coal, which has been, for many years, a source of great .trouble to the mines. These burners are being installed in a groat many steam producing plants, and in some cases, already have eliminated the use of oil. j The activity in metal mining throughout the- western states, not- i urally is adding a great deal to the consumption of coal and the best informed in-formed people in the mining industry indus-try seem to think that as the metal high prices are assured for many years to come, this additional tonnage ton-nage should become permanent. P.iinging About Closer Relations One other feature arising out of the serious shortage during the lat ter part of 1916 has been to bring about a closer co-operation among coal producers. Their troubles being be-ing of the same nature, they h:ive i naturally made common cause to find a remedy. This is bound to have a very good effect in the future and while no definite action has been taken in regard to reducing the i number of sizes of coal made, the "freak" sizes are being eliminated by common consent. It would be a great j day for the Utah coal producers if ' the screening of coal to niake a vast number of sizes could be eliminated. What should be made, and only this, is lump, nut and slack; doing away with screened slaek. which is an economic ec-onomic error, and also various other sizes for which the unwholesome Competition is responsible. As was stated in the beginning, the whole situation seems to indicate that Utah coal producers and Utah coal are at last coming into their own. t |