43 



About midsummer of 1917 conditions in the coal-mining industry' 

 in the United States demonstrated that drastic action was necessary. 

 On July 12, 1917, Mr. C. A. Magrath was appointed Fuel Controller, 

 with full powers over the mining, transportation, distribution, etc., of 

 coal. During the winter of 1917-18, the shortage of coal became acute; 

 ' heatless Mondays ' were ordered in Canada and the United States 

 to save fuel, the situation having been much aggravated by the 

 almost unprecedented cold weather. 



Reduction of During the height of the influenza epidemic the pro- 



Output due to duction of anthracite fell off from 2,000,000 tons per 

 Influenza ^^^^j^ ^^ 1,500,000, or 25 per cent less than during 



the same week in 1917. Fortunately, the unprecedentedly mild 

 weather and the termination of the war have averted what would 

 otherwise have been a serious situation. 



Having happily escaped a fuel famine this winter, we should 

 endeavour to formulate a sane and wise policy respecting the develop- 

 ment of our great water-powers, particularly Niagara and the St. 

 Lawrence, and the more efficient utilization of our bituminous, 

 semi-bituminous and lignite coals, that future fuel shortages will not 

 find us unprepared. 



Senator Edwards: Do you mean for heating or for power 

 purposes? 



Mr. White: Both ; in order that we may obtain more efficient re- 

 sults from these coals than can be obtained under existing circum- 

 stances, particularly when they are consumed raw. Electric energy 

 generated from our water-powers, should be utilized for power pur- 

 poses, that our imports of bituminous coal from the United States 

 may be reduced. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that future 

 fuel shortages are not a possibility but are practically a certainty, 

 and they will recur whenever there is a sufficient combination of 

 adverse conditions. In addition, an educative campaign should be 

 carried on urging the adoption of economic methods of firing, the 

 replacement of ineffective boilers and similar measures that will 

 reduce the coal bill. 



FIRE PREVENTION 



Since our last meeting, our report on Fire Waste in Canada, by 

 Mr. J. Grove Smith, has been issued. It is the first report on the 

 subject ever issued in Canada and has aroused public interest in a 

 remarkable manner. That this interest might be crystallized into 

 definite action, the Commission has, during the past year, carried on 

 a campaign of publicity through the newspapers and by means of 

 public addresses. Municipal authorities have been advised respecting 

 the adequacy of their water-works systems for fire jirolection pur- 



