In dealing with the shortage of coal in America the circular of the Guaranty Trust Ca. of New York for July 16 quotes the National Coal Association as saying While in ordinary times there a supply of 35,000,000 tons of coal in the country's bins—that fs, coal in the hands of great and small consumers—in the early spring mouths, the country's surplus throughout last spring was almost entirely exhausted.
On May 31. Geological the Survey's figures show, there were stocks of bituminous coal at industrial plants, other than steel, of 3.389.066 tons throughout—the representing an average of 3.3/7 w. Public utility plants had on han 850 tons, ora little over three weeks' supply. Coal gas plants had stocks of 2 805 tons. or enough to last 31/7 weeks. In some centres the shortage was much more acute than in others.
The Geological Survey shows that the movement of coal over the Great Lakes is more than 50 per cent. below normal for this season of the year. "The lake tonnage for the season to date amounts to 3,519,000 tons," says the Survey's report. "In the corresponding period of 1918 it was 7,699,000 tons. and in 1919 it was 9,130,000 tons. The present season is. therefore, in round numbers. 4,180,000 tons behind 1918 and 5.600,000 tons behind 1919."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.