Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-08-04
FERGUS COAL AND RATES.
A Discussion Of the Possibility Of
Railroad Legislation.

A Discussion Of the Possibility AZ
Railroad Legislation.
Helena, Mont, Aug. /, 1so5.-The
coal interests of this state and mar.
ticularly of Fergus county are becin.
ming to look with alarm at the nos.
sibility of legislation at Washington
next fall which will place the freight
rate making power in the hands NJ
the Interstate Commerce commits.
sion. The prosperous mines thar
compete for the Lewistown market
owe their activity to just those dis
ordinations" in rates which the adj.
vocates Of remedial legislation pro.
pose to do away with. The coal
fields in this vicinity have been built
up and developed almost entirely
through the fact that concessions have
been obtained from the Montana rail.
road. Were it not for the actions
of the railroad and the connecting
lines in this respect, scarcely a ton
of coal would be moved ont of the
county. AS it is, however, the Spring
Creek Coal Co.. the Black Diamond
Coal Co. and the Mcdonald Creek
Coal Co., are among the best develop
ed properties in the state and find a
ready and profitable market for their
product.
We're the government. however. to
be given the power to fix freight
rates, a straight distance tariff would
take the place of those now in force.
Montana is rather large state and
were the barrier of distance to be
raised against the coal mines of Fer
gus county, the restricted market
that would follow, would inevitably
result in closing down many shafts.
"The coal resources of this com
ty are latent wealth today because
of the sparsely settled section says
the State Bureau of Agriculture, La
Dor and Industry in its ninth annual
report. But as irrigation progresses
the country will be settled, one or
more railroads will surely be built,
probable that the very existence of
these coal deposits will eventually
prove an incentive. along with the
mineral and agricultural wealth. for
the building of railroads and the set
Element that inevitably follows"
In contrast to this prediction is
that of dozens of railroad experts,
who, during the recent Investigations
into the subject of rate making by
the United States senate. told the
Interstate Commerce Commission of
that body that the establishment of
machfne-made rates would surely re-
suit in arersting the railroad develop
ment of the northwest and other Sec
lions of the country, which are as
yet not opened up to trade and indus
try.
The proposition, therefore, is a
choice between these two predictions.
Fortunately the matter is not yet set
tied and the people of Montana,
speaking through their representa-
tives at Washington. will have an op.
portunity to register the objections
that must be made if the proposed in
crease in the powers of the Inter.
State Commerce Commission is to be
blocked. Dependent as the state is
upon the great railroads for an open.
ing to eastern markets. the peril that
confrOnts her is most real.
There is nothing in the straight
distance tariff to commend itself to
thoughtful men of this region. Had
the railroads not been allowed to equ-
alize between localities, the state
might today still be territory, her
mines unknown, her cattle few and
the numerous irrigation and agricul
tural projects little more than a Wis
ion.