COAL CRISIS

COAL CRISIS. In terms of the production of energy from domestic sources, from 1885 through 1951, coal was the leading source of energy in the United States. Most urban homes had a coal bin and a coal fired furnace. In 1950, about 19% percent of the coal consumed was for electricity generation. (1) Early in the year, workers in the bituminous coal fields of Illinois went on strike. This spread nationwide. Unemployment across the nation soared to an estimated 200,000 workers in coal-related industries joined 372,000 striking mine workers. (2)

On February 28, 1950 the Dubuque City Council met to discuss the city's critical coal shortage. Ways of distributing any available coal had been discussing the previous day by members of the board of education and other institutions with coal dealers. Concerns about rationing were expressed with ways in which hoarding could be avoided. It was known that some people were calling all the coal dealers and buying all they could from each one. It was decided that a clearinghouse plan should be adopted in which all orders had to proceed through one site. Making matters worse was a spreading case of flu in the city. Dealers believed those homes with illness should get priority, but questioned how illness could be proved.(3)

The plan established was for all orders for coal received by dealers to be forwarded to the police department. The police would check the lists for duplication and spot-check homes to see if the coal was really needed. The school district stopped all extra-curricular activities and night school and announced that it had between two and three weeks of coal left for heating. St. JOSEPH'S SANITARIUM was operating on a day-to-day, FINLEY HOSPITAL (THE) had a four to five day supply, and MT. PLEASANT HOME had enough coal to last one week. (4)

Source:

1. "Energy Policy of the United States," Wikipedia. Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_policy_of_the_United_States

2. "Number of Idle in U.S. Soars Upward," Telegraph Herald, March 1, 1950, p. 1. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19500301&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

3. "City Council Called in Crisis to Plan Coal Distribution," Telegraph Herald, February 28, 1950, p. 1. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19500228&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

4. Ibid., p. 6