CONSERVATION THROUGH ENGINEERING. 5 



in coal finds itself with so small a supply on hand when a strike 

 comes but a few days removed from the gravest troubles. The an- 

 swer, to my mind, turns upon the manner in which we have done 

 business. 



We have been content to go without insurance as to a coal reserve. 

 Each day has brought its daily supply. There was no thought of 

 railroads stopping or mines closing down, so that large storage 

 facilities have not been provided, and, indeed, we would rebel at pay- 

 ing for our coal the added cost of caring for it outside its native 

 warehouse. We have not thought in terms of apprehension, but, as 

 always, in the calm certainty that the stream of supply would flow 

 without ceasing. In some way .there would be coal into which we 

 could drive our shovels when the need was felt. 



No wonder, therefore, that we are rudely disturbed when one link 

 in the carrier chain from coal-in-place to coal-in-the-furnace breaks. 

 It simply is one of those things which doesn't happen. And not 

 having happened sufficiently often to give us fear, we have had no 

 thought that we should provide against it. It is a most heterodox 

 thing to say, but we may find that a bit more foresight on the part 

 of the public would certainly have made less sudden the present 

 crisis. Let us look, for instance, into the matter of the coal miners' 

 year and see if it is not fixed in some degree by the habit of the 

 public in its purchasing. 



THE MINERS' YEAR. 



The record year, 1918, with everything to stimulate production had 

 an average of only 249 working days for the bituminous mines of the 

 country. This average of the country included a minimum among 

 the principal coal-producing States of 204 days for Arkansas and a 

 maximum of 301 for New Mexico. In such a State as Ohio the aver- 

 age working year is under 200 days. In 1917 the miners of New 

 Mexico reached an average of 321 days, and in the largest field, the 

 Raton field, it was actually 336 probably the record for steady oper- 

 ation. 



This short year in coal-mine operation is due in part to seasonal 

 fluctuation in demand. The mines averaged only 24 hours a week 

 during the spring months. The weekly report of that date showed 

 that 80 per cent of the lost time was due to " no market " and only 15 

 per cent to " labor shortage," while " car shortage " was a negligible 

 factor. In contrast with this should be taken the last week before the 

 strike, when the average hours operated were 39 and " no market " 

 was a negligible item in lost time, while " car shortage " was by far 



