The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-12-21
THREE STATES
SHORT OF COAL
Railroads Too Busy Hauling Bumptf
Crops.
MILLS and SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED.
Dakota, Montana end Minnesota Beg
Ring for Fuel While Transportation
Companies Are Unable to Furnish
Motive Power or Cars-Mines Unable
to Supply the Demand.

Minneapolis, MINI. (SpeciaO -The
Northwest faces the most serious fuel
famine since 1903, when several
deaths occurred, when farmers aban-
doned their claims and extreme hard
ships were endured by thousands.
The present famine has really only
Sust begun, and it is still possible TO
avert 1t IL the railroads will furnish
motive power to move immense coal
'biles in Duluth and West Superior.
While the coal companies are clam
oring for cars and railroads are max
ing excuses, mayors of dozen towns
IN Dakota, Montana and Minnesota
are telegraphing news of shortage
and the necessity for immediate ac-
ton to Washington to the governors
OF their respective states and to the
editors of the Twin City newspapers
Some of the towns which have
made the vigorous protests are Gran
willie, N. D., where 15 cars are needed
Immediately to avert suffering;
Galesburg, N. D., which thinks fed
eral troops could not be better en-
ployed than in running special coal
cars; Glenburn, N. D., where farm
ers are camping together in village
schools to conserve the scanty supply
Of fuel; Castleton, N. D., where there
Is a general shortage, and where the
lighting plant may have to be shut
down; Elvelh, Mimi, which faces
darkness from the same cause; La
kota, N. D., which sent representa-
tive to Washington to tell its tou-
bles to the federal authorities.
Raising a bumper crop and look
ing forward to season of great pros
perity the farmers now find them
selves unable to get their wheat to
market, or even to purchase fuel.
Investigation of the Interstate Com
nnerce Commission, which began
here Monday, may reveal the cause
Of the sluggishness of the railroads.
That politics Of some sort is back OF
the situation is confidently believer
throughout the farming districts.
F.. X. Lane and James S. Harlan,
Of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, opened at minneapolis an in
curry on complaints against railroads
n the Northwest for the existing car
shortage. The hearing opened with
the reading of a formal statement by
Commissioner Lane. He stated that
the present inquiry would be further
prosecuted in other parts Of the
country. 1t is the purpose of the
committee to enter fully into the
conditions attaching to the movement
Of freight in the Northwest; and to
further this investigation the COM
mission has for the past two weeks
had a corps of trained investigators
In the field.
Z Investigation of the present fam
inc crisis in the Northwest may not
stop with the investigation of the
Interstate Commerce Commission. It
is probable that in every affected
state, but notably Minnesota, North
and South Dakota and Montana. the
subject will be made a matter for
legislative investigation. Northwest
large shippers here that they plan
to stir up an official investigation in
their states. Towns that are suffer-
ing now, or have been held in the
grip of winter and the famine, are
laying their cases before their legis-
1ators and are asking that the sub
ject be brought up at the coming
sessions Of the state legislatures, and
action taken to prevent repetition.