Records of the Solid Fuels Administration for War [SFAW]
(Record Group 245)
1937-48
1,235 cu. ft.
Table of Contents
- 245.1 Administrative History
- 245.2 General Records of the Solid Fuels Administration for War and its Predecessors
1941-47
- 245.3 Records of SFAW Operating Units
1937-47
- 245.3.1 Records of the Office of the Deputy Solid Fuels
Administrator
- 245.3.2 Records of the Legal and Compliance Divisions
- 245.3.3 Records of the Anthracite Distribution Division
- 245.3.4 Records of the Bituminous Distribution Division
- 245.3.5 Records of the Coke Distribution Division
- 245.3.6 Records of the Production, Conservation, and Information
Division
- 245.3.7 Records of the Field Office Division
- 245.3.8 Records of the Economics and Statistics Division
- 245.3.9 Records of the Budget and Administrative Services
Division
- 245.3.1 Records of the Office of the Deputy Solid Fuels
Administrator
- 245.4 Field Office Records of SFAW and its Predecessors
1937-47
- 245.5 Records of the Coal Mines Administrations
1942-45
- 245.6 Records of the Coal Mines Administration--NAVY (CMAN)
1946-48
Established: Within the Department of the Interior by EO 9332, April 19, 1943, replacing the Office of Solid Fuels Coordinator for War; and absorbing functions of the abolished Bituminous Coal Division, Department of the Interior, August 24, 1943.
Predecessor Agencies:
- National Bituminous Coal Commission (NBCC, 1937-39)
-
Bituminous Coal Division (BCD), Department of the Interior
(1939-43)
-
Office of Solid Fuels Coordinator for National Defense (SFCND,
1941-42)
- Office of Solid Fuels Coordinator for War (SFCW, 1942-43)
Functions: Administered wartime government controls on solid fuels industries. Advised other agencies concerning solid fuels production, pricing, transportation, and distribution. Operated government-seized coal mines, either directly or through cooperation with successive Coal Mines Administrations.
Abolished: Effective June 30, 1947, by EO 9847, May 6, 1947.
Successor Agencies: Department of the Interior as liquidator.
Finding Aids: Edward F. Martin, comp., Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Solid Fuels Administration for War, PI 34 (1951); Forrest R. Holdcamper, comp., "Supplement to Preliminary Inventory No. 34: Preliminary Inventory of the Field Records of the Solid Fuels Administration for War," NC 145 (June 1966).
Subject Access Terms: World War II agency.
245.2 General Records of the Solid Fuels Administration for War
and its Predecessors
1941-47
History: Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes appointed to position of SFCND by Presidential letter, November 5, 1941, with responsibility for developing a coordinated fuels program. Office of SFNCD, also known as Office of Solid Fuels Coordination, redesignated Office of SFCW, by Presidential letter, May 25, 1942. Office of SFCW abolished and replaced by SFAW, 1943. See 245.1.
Textual Records: General correspondence (145 ft.), 1941-47. Correspondence with field offices (60 ft.), 1941-47. Correspondence with various city, county, and state agencies, and with other federal agencies, 1941-47. Records of the Coal Mines Operations unit, SFAW, during the third federal seizure of coal mines, consisting of correspondence, 1945; and strike data, 1945- 46. Correspondence with Coal Mines Administration--Navy relating to the fourth seizure, 1946-47.
245.3 Records of SFAW Operating Units
1937-47
57 lin. ft.
245.3.1 Records of the Office of the Deputy Solid Fuels
Administrator
Textual Records: Correspondence of the deputy administrators, 1941-47. Minutes of staff meetings, 1946-47. Issuances, 1943-45. Weekly reports to the Secretary of the Interior, 1946-47. Correspondence and reports relative to the Anthracite Fines Program, 1943-47.
245.3.2 Records of the Legal and Compliance Divisions
Textual Records: Correspondence, 1942-47. Records concerning Bituminous Coal Division litigations, 1937-43. SFAW issuances, directives, and regulations, 1943-46. Case files ("dockets") dealing with anthracite coal, bituminous coal, coke, and stockpile limitations, 1943-47.
245.3.3 Records of the Anthracite Distribution Division
Textual Records: Correspondence, 1943-47.
245.3.4 Records of the Bituminous Distribution Division
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1942-47. Correspondence concerning port facilities, 1941-42; coal transportation, 1942- 47; and export applications, 1945-47.
245.3.5 Records of the Coke Distribution Division
Textual Records: General correspondence and reports relative to SFAW orders affecting the coke industry, 1944-45. Monthly reports, estimates, and notices of shipment of coke, 1944-45. Contracts for special purpose coal, 1944-46. Report on New England electric utility coal requirements, 1941-43.
245.3.6 Records of the Production, Conservation, and Information
Division
Textual Records: Correspondence and general records, 1942-47. Press releases, 1941-47. Field office strike reports, 1943-47. Coal mining industry manpower survey, June 1944.
245.3.7 Records of the Field Office Division
Textual Records: Correspondence, 1943-46.
245.3.8 Records of the Economics and Statistics Division
Textual Records: Correspondence, 1942-46. Coal industry invested capital study, 1943. Statistical tabulations relative to the distribution of coal, 1942-47.
245.3.9 Records of the Budget and Administrative Services
Division
Textual Records: Correspondence and miscellaneous records, 1942- 47. Administrative memorandums and orders, 1943-47, with index, 1946. Forms created, collected, or used by the SFAW, 1941-46, with index.
245.4 Field Office Records of SFAW and its Predecessors
1937-47
633 lin. ft.
History: The second NBCC, established by the Bituminous Coal Act (50 Stat. 72), April 26, 1937, to stabilize the industry, was replaced by the BCD, Department of the Interior, under Reorganization Plan No. II of 1939, effective July 1, 1939. BCD set and enforced minimum prices and enforced the fair marketing provisions of the Bituminous Coal Act of 1937. When its statutory mandate expired on August 24, 1943, its field organization and functions were transferred to the SFAW.
245.4.1 Records of state offices
Textual Records: Records (in Kansas City) of the Kansas State Office, consisting of correspondence, 1943-47; coal survey reports, 1944-46; mine inspection reports, 1944-46; and reports of coal production, 1943-47. Correspondence of the Montana State Office, 1943-47 (in Denver).
245.4.2 Records of the Altoona, PA, Office
Textual Records (in Philadelphia): Correspondence with coal producers, 1937-43. Administrative correspondence, 1937-43. Personnel correspondence, 1937-43. Analysis file, 1937-43. Reports of violations of rules and regulations concerning the operation of coal mines and coal sales, 1937-43. Correspondence and reports of the SFAW, 1943-47. General records and reports of the Coal Mines Administration, 1945-46.
245.4.3 Records of the Ashland, KY, Office
Textual Records (in Atlanta): General correspondence, 1937-43. Correspondence with retail coal distributors and operators, 1937- 43. Correspondence with coal producers, 1937-43. General correspondence of the SFAW, 1943-47. Coal production reports, 1943-47. Reports of defaults, 1943-47. Statistics on production and consumption ("Producer Books" and "Consumer Books"), 1943-47.
245.4.4 Records of the Birmingham, AL, Office
Textual Records (in Atlanta): General correspondence, 1937-47. Correspondence with coal mine operators and retail dealers, 1943- 47. Correspondence and reports relating to compliance and production, 1943-47. Coal production reports, 1943-47. Correspondence relating to the Coal Mines Administration, 1943- 46. Coal situation summaries, 1943-46.
245.4.5 Records of the Cincinnati, OH, Office
Textual Records (in Chicago): Correspondence with coal producers, 1944-46. Correspondence with retail dealers and small businesses, 1943-47. General administrative correspondence, 1943-47. Reports by mining companies relating to employment, 1944-46.
245.4.6 Records of other local offices
Textual Records: Records, mainly correspondence, but including some coal production reports and other records, of field offices in the following locations: Atlanta, GA, 1943-47 (in Atlanta); Baltimore, MD, 1943-47 (in Philadelphia); Billings, MT, 1943-47 (in Denver); Bluefield, WV, 1943-47 (in Philadelphia); Boston, MA, 1943-47 (in Boston); Buffalo, NY, 1943-47 (in New York); Camden, NJ, 1944-46 (in New York); Casper, WY, 1937-46 (in Denver); Charlotte, NC, 1944-46 (in Atlanta); Chicago, IL, 1943- 47 (in Chicago); Cleveland, OH, 1937-47 (in Chicago); Concord, NH, 1943-47 (in Boston); Denver, CO, 1937-47 (in Denver); Des Moines, IA, 1943-47 (in Kansas City); Detroit, MI, 1943-47 (in Chicago); Fairmont, WV, 1942-47 (in Philadelphia); Harrisburg, PA, 1943-47 (in Philadelphia); Indianapolis, IN, 1943-47 (in Chicago); Knoxville, TN, 1943-47 (in Atlanta); Madisonville, IN, 1943-47 (in Chicago); Minneapolis, MN, 1943-47 (in Chicago); New Haven, CT, 1943-47 (in Boston); New York, NY, 1937-47 (in New York); Newark, NJ, 1943-47 (in New York); Philadelphia, PA, 1943- 47 (in Philadelphia); Pittsburgh, PA, 1943-47 (in Philadelphia); Portland, ME, 1943-47 (in Boston); Pottsville, PA, 1943-47 (in Philadelphia); Providence, RI, 1944-46 (in Boston); Richmond, VA, 1943-47 (in Philadelphia); St. Louis, MO, 1943-47 (in Kansas City); Salt Lake City, UT, 1937-47 (in Denver); Seattle, WA, 1937-47 (in Seattle); Syracuse, NY, 1943-47 (in New York); and Wilkes-Barre, PA, 1943-47 (in Philadelphia).
245.5 Records of the Coal Mines Administrations
1942-45
84 lin. ft.
History: By EO 9340, May 1, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt directed Secretary Ickes to take possession of struck or strike- threatened coal mines and operate them in the national interest. On June 29, 1943, Secretary Ickes established the first Coal Mines Administration (CMA), staffed by personnel of the Interior Departments's expiring BCD, to operate the mines, and on July 27, named himself as Coal Mines Administrator. Mines were returned to private control, October 12, 1943. CMA began liquidation, but renewed labor unrest led to EO 9393, November 1, 1943, directing seizure, and to a second CMA that lasted until June 21, 1944. The third seizure, authorized by EOs 9536 and 9548, April 10 and May 3, 1945, respectively, was administered by employees of the SFAW collectively designated as the Coal Mines Operations (CMO), May 3-June 22, 1945.
Textual Records: General correspondence (45 ft.), 1943-45. Correspondence with field offices, federal agencies, members of Congress, state and local officials, and advisory boards, 1943- 45. Records of the Legal Division relating to mine operations, 1942-45. Records of the Finance and Accounting Division, consisting primarily of claims correspondence, and indexes to agreements, 1943-45.
245.6 Records of the Coal Mines Administration--Navy (CMAN)
1946-48
119 lin. ft.
History: EO 9728, May 21, 1946, authorized a fourth mine seizure that lasted until June 30, 1947. U.S. Navy personnel staffed the agency, designated the CMAN, which operated the mines.
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1946-48. Correspondence with coal companies (63 ft.) and unions, 1946-47. Correspondence with area offices, 1946-47. Records pertaining to the establishment and operation of welfare and retirement funds, 1946-48. Records, 1947, concerning the Centralia Coal Company mine explosion of March 25, 1947. Records concerning government operation of the Carter Coal Company, 1946-48. Final report of CMAN, 1946-47. Correspondence of the administrator, 1946-48; the executive officer, 1946-47; and the general counsel, 1946-47. Records of the Medical Survey Group, 1946-47.
Photographic Prints and Negatives (4,100 items): Taken as part of the medical survey of the bituminous coal industry that covered health and housing conditions in coal communities, and including mining activities, towns, schools, women's activities, and recreation facilities, 1946-47 (MS).
Finding Aids: Shelf list to photographic series MS.
Related Records: Photographic series G, in RG 70, Records of the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Photographic series CH, in RG 220, Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards.
Subject Access Terms: Lee, Russell (photographs by).
Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.
This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.
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