Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1906-09-27
INVESTIGATING
THE COAL FAMINE
Interstate Commerce Com
mission Fixes Blame
on Hartman Rail
roads.

tain Home. Dealers say they can [
get it. When coal can be secured
local consumers pay from eight to
ten dollars ton, which is an out
rageous price, nothing short OF rob-
berry. We are not alone victims
of both the famine and the extor-
ton. All through the intermoun-
tain region consumers are on the
war path, trying to find out where
lies the blame. The situation mas
become so acute in Salt Lake that
the Interstate Commerce commits
sion was appealed to. That body
has been investigating the subject
and, apparently, has fixed the
blame on the Hartman rail road
lines. A telegram from Salt Lake,
dated Tuesday, says:
That the railroads are to blame
for the high price and periodical
shortage of coal in Salt Lake was
the conclusion to be drawn from
the testimony presented before
Commissioner Charles A. Prouty OF
the Interstate commerce commission
TODAY. At the close of the hearing
the commissioner stated that the in
quiry stood adjourned until Thurs
day morning at 10 O'Clock, when
the investigation will be resumed
in Denver.
Mark Hopkins, who opened two
coal mines at Cumberland, Wyo.,
was sworn as an expert today he
said that coal could be placed in
cars at Wyoming and Utah mines
for ST a ton and allow a reasonable
profit The present price on board
cars is So ton. Salt Lake deal
ers pay 1913 for the coal laid down
and the consumer pays $5.25 a ton.
P. J. Quealy, manager OF the
Kemmerer (Wyo.) Coal company,
and Thomas Sheldon, superintend-
.ent of the Diamondville, mines adj
mitted that their output could be
increased to prevent the annual
winter shortage, but said that the
railroads did not furnish cars to
carry large product.
An attempt was made to show
that the Union Pacific railway car
ries supplies for its mines at a lower
rate than that quoted to independent
operators, but this was not SUBJ
1antiated by direct testimony.
Over at Boise dealers say there
is no fear of another coal famine.
The Statesman had a reporter in
terview them all, and all had coal
ready to deliver. This is a job
that the Commercial club should
tackle; find out why we can't get
coal here and roar for relief. The
Statesman says;
Little foundation could be discov-
cred yesterday for the rumors which
have predicted another coal famine
for this section of the country dur
ing the fall and winter months. Il
the reassurances of the majority
of the dealers of Boise are worth
anything, the coal consumer whC
had begun to feel worried, may
lean back in his chair, light an
other cigar, and await without ap
prehension the coming OF the stit
blasts from the north.
One firm handling coal reports
10 have close to so tons of nu
awaiting the orders of local con
surners, and five cars are on thei
way here from mines in Wyoming
Another dealer has also so tons o
nut coal on hand. He arched hi
eyebrows at the mention of anothe
famine of the anthracite, and CAV
the assurance that more of tn
commodity is on the way here. A
the freight offices, down at tn
Oregon Short Line, no lack c
shipment of coal had been marke
up.
While the bins of one compan
have at times during the pa:
few weeks, been tapped to suppl
the local demand, the holes hav
been promptly filled on receipt {
delayed carloads of the black, an
no fear was felt by the man benin
the desk.
One coal company complains {
dearth of Rock Springs nut durin
the past two or three weeks, bI
declares that there is plenty of d
almond nut on hand and in sigh
Here, alone, doubt was expresSe
as to the ability of the mines
supply dealers with the require
amount of coal this winter, and
this establishment it was admittc
that local trade was being at pre-
ept supplied from bins.