The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-23
BLAME COALDEALERS
Failure to File Orders Caused
transportation Troubles.
THOUGHT CARS EASY TO GET
Interstate Commerce Commissioner
Lane Tells About Fuel Famine IN
TO Prepare Rep0rt-Thc situation
Is Greatly Relieved.

in the Northwest, which has been brought
to an end by the hearty cooperation Of
the railroads with the interstate Com
-nerce Commission was the failure Of
dealers and shippers to file early orders
for their product
This is the opinion Of Commissioner
Franklin X Lane, who, with Commits
sioner J. s. Harlan, held hearings at Min
neapolis and Chicago this week with a
view to ascertaining the cause for the
alleged shortage in the supply of cars,
resulting in great distress owing to the
failure of people in many Western States
10 get adequate supplies Of coal
Testimony given at Chicago and Min
neapolis tended TO show that orders for
coal in many Western States were not
filed until November. whereas it was
usually the custom 10 forward orders in
midsummer. The delay in the matter
was occasiOned by the belief of shippers
that they would have no trouble getting
cars for the transportation of coal when
they wanted them. When the time came
for the movement of the product the
rolling stock Of the railroads was largely
in use in moving other kinds of traffic.
Return to Washington
Commissioners Lane and Harlan re-
turned to Washington yesterday They
will begin work on their report at once.
This viii show the cause for the apparent
car shortage: it will reflect conditions as
they existed, and possibly il will contain
recommendations that may lead TO the
passage of the laws designed TO prevent
the recurrence of such q situation as was
liz. 81 an f1f4 railroad world
Commissioner Lane felt free 10 make
the statement as above that so far as the
coal famine is concerned the evidence
disclosed that IL was the OUtgrowth or
the failure Of shippers and dealers TO put
in supplies before the arrival of freezing
weather
The railroads themselves. according TO
information received here, have gone TO
work with a view to correcting present
conditions. and are taking steps to OBJ
viate possible future trouble over mat
tiers of transportation. Many railroad
officials at the recent hearings declared
that the car shortage was apparent and
not real: that there was an abundance
of rolling stock but that it was not
properly distributed
II was shown. for example, that the
Illinois Central, under the management
of StuyyesaHt Fish, had made 1t a prac-
tice to keep on hand ears sufficient TO
meet any emergency that might develop.
This year. it was disclosed, the Illinois
Central was short about 10.o00 cars, they
being in use on other lines.
System of InterehHESing Cars.
some plan should he devised, it is as
serted in official quarters. whereby the
system of interchanging cars should be
curtaued. in order that rolling stock may
be distributed Throughout the country.
Foreign cars now cost a road using them
about % cents a day rental One hun
dred and four roads, it IS understood. in
tend TO increase the rental 20 50 cents a
day in duh seasons. and to 81 day at
times when the traffic is heavy. Such a
plan. it is believed here, would insure a
prompt return by one line of cars Dor
rowed from another.
The subject Of reciprocal demurrage
may be discussed in the forthcoming re-
port Of Commissioners Lane and Harlan.
1t will be considered at d convention of
commercial interests To be held at Chi
Cago in January The organization Is
known as the National Reciprocal Car
Demurrage Board.
Telegrams have been received at the Of
fees of the commission from Presidents
Hill and Elliott. Of the Great Northern
n r
that all Of the towns in Minneapolis and
North Dakota that had complained Of
lack Of coal had either received supplies
OF the product or were about to receive
them These two roads. at the suggestion
of the commission, rushed fast freight
trains into the Northwest. and supplied
the needs of about sixty cities.
Fuel Cars Carrying Grain.
Speaking of his recent trip through the
West to study the exact conditions. Mr..
Lane said Immediately after his arrival
in Minneapolis he sent kilograms to post
masters Of all the towns in the territory
affected by the fuel shortage, asking for
an account of conditions in their particu-
lar locality. Mr. Lane discovered that in
nearly every town the coal supply was
exhausted. and in some cases citizens
We're tearing up fences and sidewalks for
fuel
In our investigation We found only one
town that was suffering slightly because
of a food shortage. The whole situation
came about because too many fuel cars
were operated in transporting the i'm
mense grain crop that was harvested.
The suggestion was made to Us by
James J. Hill that the railroads Of the
United States spend 5000 0O0.O00, at the
IGit Ol FlsNttruNNstsN Il gNtl4f HI bAg ilA6
equipment. putting double track in the
Place Of single track. four tracks where
there are now two, putting in new
switches. and charging their terminal ia
cilities.
Faulty Method of management.
Both I'm Chicago and Minneapolis posi-
tive proof was given Us that this tense
situation In traffic affairs was due TO
faulty methods Of management, as well
as inadequate equipment. A car clearing
house. by which the roads Will receive
credit weekly for their cars and under
which cars might be used 20 best advan-
tage, Is a good suggestion offered by MIR.
Midgley, Of Chicago, an authority on rail-
road matters He elites the system now
followed by the Southern Pacific one OF
the roads he represented before the COM
mission.
4 don't care TO go into a question OF
remedy at present or to go into the mat
ter further. A report viii soon be sub
mitted TO the commission. 1t is safe to
say there is no remedy resting within the
power OF the commission. / think that
is beyond question. II rests with the rail-
roads themselves, and If they can't sue
CessfUlly cope with the issue now at
hand, then n law should be made 20 cover
such cases"
Alaskan Cable in Operation.