The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-06
BAKER CALLED UP
Topeka Railway President Asked
to Explain.
Investigation Committee Asks
Why He Took State Coal.
IT WAS ALL A MISTAKE
Santa Fe Turned the Car Over
to Them.
Insane Asylum Now Entirely
Out of Fuel.
Light Shed On the Usage County
Combine.

presented to the legislature 10 pIOA4b4t
the railroads from conhscating coal IN
the future. Some of the commission
have already made up their minds TO
this. and a bill along that line will prob
ably be formulated in the near future.
This is probably the only legislative
action that will be taken as result Of
the investigation. IN fact, far as
information so far received is concerned.
it is about the only thing the state can
do. The miners and operators agree
that the coal shortage in the west IS
caused by the anthracite strike and the
consequent demand in the east lot
western COAL and at the same time cut
ting off nearly the entire supply OF an
thracite which has been coming west.
At the same time a good many inter
esting facts concerning the coal business
are being brought out by the invest1gd-
ton. One of these is the fact that the
increase in the production of coal is not
keeping up with the natural increase in
consumption, caused by increase IN
business The railroads themselves ara
using far more coal than ever before.
because they have more traffic than
ever before. This probably accounts IN
part for the largely increased amount
which has been conhscated, and this has
been accentuated by the difficulty in OIL
tanning coal because of the famine.
Thus while there has been less coal to
burn, more than ever before has been
needed.
Conhscation by the railroads has not
been an unusual thing heretofore, but
it has generally been only in cases of
urgent necessity. This year it has been
extremely common. Dealers in central
and western Kansas who bought coal
in Colorado, received their bills of lad
ing showing that it had been shipped
and was on the way, promised it to
their customers early in the winter but
have not yet received it. Frequent
complaints made concerning it general
" brought out the information that it
had been conhscated by some railroad
on the way.
The condscation has been worked the
other way in some Kansas towns At
Belleville the dealers were unable to
get the coal they had ordered. and the
town supply began to run low. Two
weeks ago eight car loads were brought
into the Rock Island yards there The
news spread over town, the mayor and
city council held a hurried conference
with the local coal dealers, and it was
decided to confiscate the coal for the
town. The fire bell was rung and when
the people came rushing together they
were led to the railroad yards and the
coal was speedily unloaded. The same
sort of action has been taken in some
towns in southwestern Kansas
The impression seems to prevail that
the railroads should take extra precau-
tons against the necessity of cOnfscat-
ing coal and should do it only in ex-
lICIlG eases WI6Ic IL HAS 10 De uSGQ IN
order to move freight or passengers,
and when it is confscated the railroads
should pay the dealer from whom it is
taken a good sized premium because
it often entails considerable loss of
trade for him.
Governor Bailey's testimony before
the coal investigation committee was
the cause Of Clifford c. Baker, president
Of the Topeka Street Railway company,
being summoned before the committee
TO throw a little light on the subject of
railroad conf1scatiOn. Governor Bailey
had told about a car of coal belonging
to the state being cOnf1scated by the
Topeka Street Railway company This
is the case told about in the State Jour
nal two weeks ago The committee did
not wonder SO much that the railroads
confiscate coal, but it wondered how the
Topeka Street Railway company got the
confiscation habit and President Baker
was summoned to tell what he knew
about it.
Did your company take some coal
asked Senator Noftzger when Mr.. Baker
had been sworn.
NO sir answered the street car
magnate.
wei. belonging to the reform school,
them"
No it was worse than that. It be-
Ionged to the governors house"
How did you come to take coal be-
longing to the state?'
1T was placed over on our tracks, and
as we were expecting some coal we
thought it was ours.
WAS it the kind of coal you had
ordered?"
No but We have been compelled to
take any kind we can get"
Did you ever replace ft2"
No it wasn't our mistake We have
a standing order with the Southwestern
Fuel company to furnish US coal as we
want it. The Santa Fe set this in on
our tracks. It was their mistake. We
got a carload of coal as we ordered. 50
the state will have to look to the Santa
F'e for its coal"
STATE ASYLUM IS OUT.
DR.. T. c. Biddle, superintendent Of the
Topeka insane asylum, was summoned
to tell about the shortage a the asylum.
He said the asylum had not had more
than one or two days supply on hand
for some time. but had not been en-
tirely out until yesterday, when he had
been compelled TO buy car of coal on
the market to run the asylum during
the day.
4 wired Warden Jewett about it,
said DR.. Biddle. and he replied that
they had several cars all loaded and on
the track, but the railroad company had
failed to send a switch engine around
to hail It away"
DR.. Biddle said it was dangerous to
store any great quantity Of the peni-
tertiary coal during the summer, be-
cause Il would slack and then catch
fire. During October and November
the warden sends over from 10 to II
cars q week until 25 or so cars have
accumulated in the coal sheds. This
with or cars a week regularly viii
run the asylum during the winter
This year there was good supply on
hand by the middle OF Eovember. but
the current supply was short. and
when the Rock Island confiscated some
cars of coal the reserve was entirely
gone.
CASTLEMAN AGAIN ON STAND.
D. r. Castleman. state mine inspee-
tor. again took the stand and gave
some information about the peniten-
tiary coal. He was -.rnine boss" az the
penitsntiary mine for some time. He