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Show i . . Production Rate of Coal Mines More Than Doubled Since 1918. If it weren't for the efficiency of the highly mechanized coal-mining industry, the fuel situation this year would be a lot more desperate than it is. If we had to' depend on 1918 production rates, for instance, we'd just have to shiver through the winter. win-ter. In 1918. a war year, it required re-quired 9-12.030 men, working 18,319 mines, to dig 579.000,000 tons. Last year 400.000 miners produced 589,-000.000 589,-000.000 tons, from 6,972 mines. j The total output of coal, mostly bituminous, of course, is estimated at 616 million tons for the year. Soft coal production has been running at the rate of about 12 million tons a week during 1944. The nation has been burning about 11,409.000 tons a week so far this year, so production is slightly ahead of consumption. This would look like a sound and safe situation. But it isn't. The squeeze comes because of several reasons. Despite the splendid splen-did job the railroads and water car riers are aoing, uie great, vuiume oi freight they must handle forces them to sidetrack coal shipments for days and weeks. Thus many localities may be in need of coal, but unable to get it quickly. Another factor is the uncertain but huge demand of the armed forces. Great quantities of coal must be shipped to liberated countries, coun-tries, both for American military establishments and for the countries' own utilities. |