Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-01-12
Mine Product Piled Along Tracks to Keep
it of Market,
RAND JURY TO HEAR SENSATl NAL TALE
Combine Alleged to Have Endangered Lives
Of Destitute Poor.
BURN MISSOURI AND KANSAS BUILDINGS
Famine Leads Farmers TO Tear Tn
Sidewalks, Break Up Fences and
Chop Down Trees to Feed
Furnaces.

CHICAGO, Jan. 1.-THE temperature l.
Chicago today dropped "a degrees in less
than two hours and tonight is lowering
around the zero mark, thus greatly intense
Tying the serious suffering for lack of cLal.
The worst cases OF destitution had been
provided for by charitable institutions and
TO this alone is attributed the fact that nc
deaths were reported during the day
Two thousand persons in Chicago are suf-
tering from ailments directly due TO cold
ana exposure resulting from the coal IA
mine, according TO the weekly bulletin of
the health department issued today. Serious
results are already seen In the heavy in
crease of the death rate and the health
department brands those responsible for
the fuel shortage guilty OF constructive
homicide. The death rate last week for
children under years of age was 1872 per
cent. greater than in the corresponding
week OF last year and among persons over
oO years OF age 1t was 36.7 per cent
greater.
search for Evidence.
The actual search for evidence Of a COM
bine of dealers will be undertaken tomor-
row by the special grand jury empaneiled
Yesterday. twenty-five coal men, some of
nrmk
Others chiefs in the councils of corporations
operating mines, have been summoned 10
appear ana tell what they know OF the
ring"
1t is the intention that no one but coal
men shall be examined. and under Mr..
Deneen's direction a series of pointed
questions have been arranged for each
prospective witness.
Trainloads of coal cars, sidetracked and
labelled with placards instructing railroad
freight crews to hold the consignments in
definitely, are said to have been discov-
cred by the parties who caused the investI-
cation to be made. 1t is also asserted that
beyond the city limits, on one and probably
two roads. countless tons Of coal have been
taken from the cars and heaped UP on
either side of the tracks for as much as
three-quarters of a mile.
The grand Jury will insist upon being in
formed Why this ceal has not been brought
into the market and put on sale.
Burn Buildings for Fuel.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Jan. lin many
towns of Kansas and western Missouri no
fuel Of any kind can be had at any price
and everything combustible is being burned
fruit and shade trees, old buildings, side
walks and fences.
In Kansas City itself there is suffering
among the poor, owing to the high price OF
coal. but there is no scarcity the yards be-
ing better stocked now than at this time
last year.
The lowest temperature Of the present
cold spell in this city was 4 above zero at
this morning. Zero weather was expert
enced last month, but a sharp wind made
today the moot uncomfortable OF the winter
thus far. At this evening the tempera-
ture had risen to II above. Yesterdays
snowfall was one and q half inches.
READING, Pa, Jan. 1.-THE Philadel-
phia & Reading railroad officials announce
that for the week ending tonight more an
thracite coal was taken down the main line
than for any previous week in years The
total was 10000 Of all classes OF cars, or an
average Of 1,100 cars for each working day
OF the week, equal to nearly 225, 900 tons
This was distributed in the companys ter
ritory as far as New York and along its
branches in this state and elsewhere.
The coal famine throughout this section
has reached such an acute stage that many
industries in the smaller towns will soon
have to close and in the country districts
the distress is so widespread that teams
have started from Schuylkill county coal
fields, thirty and forty miles distant, to
supply pressing necessities.
Coal scarce in st. Paul.
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Jan. 11.-Though fuel
is both scarce and high there is no famine
here yet and consequently but little suffer-
ing, although the thermometer ranged
below zero today. A high northwest wind
served TO greatly intensity the cold and
blew fine iurries Of snow with cutting
force in the faces OF pedestrians.
DETROIT, Jan. 1l.-Mayor w. c. May
bury will tomorrow issue the call for the
convention In Washington decided on in
Chicago yesterday While he would not
tonight give the exact date for which the
convention will be called, he said 1t would
be within the next ten days.
BLOOMINGTON, ILL.,, Jan. 1l.-Extreme
cold weather is delaying shipments Of coal
from southern Illinois to the north. The
tonnage will have to be reduced TO enable
traffic to move. It is said that while low
temperatures prevail the speed OF coal
trains will be reduced from 10 to 20 per
cent
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 11.-There is much
suffering here from lack OF fuel. Mayor
Bookwalter announced tonight that the
finance committee Of the council would meet
tomorrow to take up the proposition to
have the city buy coal and sell It in small