The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-19

| The Hepburn railroad rate law is
/ blamed now for the coal famine in the
! Northwest.
According to the new law the railroad
officials are required TO give thirty days
notice TO the public before either an adj
vance or a reduction Is made in the rates
on their respective lines.
The companies Of the Northwest an
nounced a % per cent reduction on the
transportation Of coal several weeks ago.
To take advantage of this the retail coal
dealers ordered their winter supply Of
| fuel with instructions that the shipments
be not made until after the new rate
went into effect The reduction has been
/ in effect more than month, but the
railroad companies have never been able
to catch up with the rush Of business
which the delayed orders had caused.
! This is the situation in South Dakota,
which has been mentioned as one of the
States short Of coal. according to Senator
A. B. Kituedge. He has received his in
formation from personal letters and pub
nshed accounts of the fuel shortage in
/ the newspapers.
| "While the people OF South Dakota are
not actually suffering from a lack Of
coal" Senator Kittredge said last even
| ing, there Is undoubtedly a shortage Of
| coal From what I gather from CORE
/ spondence and otherwise. the situation
1 has been caused by the retail dealers
delaying their orders so as to get the
benefits derived from the reduction Of
rates on each of the railroads in the
State
7 am not prepared 20 state that this
reduction is responsible for the famine in
! the other States throughout the North
west. not having heard from the other
/ sections But the conditions in South Da-
/ kota seem 70 be due TO the circumstances
/ stated. The reduced rates have been in
/ force a month or more, / think, and, in
/ my opinion. the companies will soon have
l the situation in hand and be able TO fur
nish the different towns with coal do
not think the railroad officials are 20
blame. ] think they have done everything
I possible"
Notice Given During October.
Notice was given during October by the
railroads that there was 20 be q reduction
in the rates for hauling coal The weather
at that time was still warm. When or
dering their winter supply OF coal from
the mines and storage stations the retail
dealers made requests that shipments be
/ held until after the 20 per cent reduction
! in rates had gone into effect
The coal was stored at the mines, as
/ there was only limited number Of retail
-E,F
vious 70 the reduction Of the schedule.
After the new rate went into force there
was "a rush Of business. Thousands Of
orders were awaiting for the reduced
/ rates. and as fast as cars could be secured
were started toward their destination
/ Naturally a congestion along the rail-
road lines was the result There was
I also a shortage Of cars with which %
/ haul the coal Dealers in the different
/ sections had postponed placing their or
I ders as long as possible. When cold
/ weather set IN few weeks ago il found
/ the yards practically empty and the bins
: Of the people with little or no fuel
Unable 10 supply Demand.
/ Gradually the weather became colder,
but the dealers We're unable to supply the
demand Most Of them had coal on the
way. but IT was slow in arriving They
/ had ordered the coal with the understand
/ ing that it be held until after the
reduction Of rates went into effect. The
mines and wholesale dealers complied
/ with the requests and as a consequence
/ the railroads soon after the date of the
/ previously announced low rates. had more
/ cars on their lines than they could con-
veniently handle. A shortage Of cars for
/ the delayed coal orders also aided IN the
| congestion and famine following.
! With hundreds Of cars Of coal on the
roads II is thought the shortage in the
| Northwest will soon be Temedied