The Washington herald., 1906-12-15
QUICK RELIEF URGED
Knapp Appeals to Railroads
on Behalf OF Destitute.
PRESIDENT PROMPTS ACTION
TeIeErams Sent to Heads of Six
Lines Asking that Car Shortage BE
Order to Alleviate the Suffering
Caused by Lack OF Coal.

Through the intercession Of President
Roosevelt. Chairman Knapp. Of the In
! terstate Commerce Commission. sent tele-
grams yesterday afternoon TO the presi-
dents OF six trunk lines, calling upon
them to supply sufficient cars to meet the
demands Of freezing and destitute people
in the Northwest
The telegrams were 10 the following
roads Great Northern, Northern Pacific,
Minneapolis, ST. Paul and sault Ste. Ma
rie. Chicago and Northwestern. Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul, and Chicago.
Burlington and Quincy. They were iden-
teal and read as follows;
From many parts Of the country, and
| particularly from your section. the In
/ terstate Commerce Commission IS receiv-
| ing numerous and importunate complaints
of car shortage and failure to transport
the necessaries Of life. In various places
in the Northwest it is represented that
/ people are actually freezing because
sufficient coal for household use cannot be
! procured, owing to extraordinary delays
| in moving that article.
"The commission therefore urges you
! 90 make every possible effort to meet at
| once the needs and relieve the suffering
| Of those dependent upon the facilities Of
your road
! President Is Alarmed
1 President Roosevelt is very much
alarmed over the situation. and viii use
! every means within his power to correct
| existing conditions.
terri.
country to-day IS the condition resulting
/ from the failure Of the railroads 10 trans
port the necessities Of Mfe," said Chair
man Martin W. Knapp. Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
J While the complaint that comes from
I the Western States is 20 the effect that
coal is not prOcurable. owing 10 the fact
/ that cars cannot be obtained 10 transport
/ Il. the opinion is expressed by govern
mcat officials that if the shortage con-
tinues a famine in food may be expected
( In certain parts OF the West. The Conges-
/ ton of traffic at many points throughout
I the United States is worse now than at
any time In the history Of the country.
Tho commission IS about 10 make the
car famine tie subject OF investigation,
and hearings in the matter viii be held
/ next week at Minneapolis. St Louis, and
/ Kansas City. Some days ago. special
agents Of the commission were sent out
70 make inquiries and TO confer with
/ raiload men.
Situation No Better.
! So far as the government is advised,
| the car shortage is just as severe now as
/ 1t was Il few weeks ago. The plea
addressed to the presidents Of the rail-
roads named above was sent In the hope
! that something would be done immedi-
ately to remedy present conditions.
! The complaints that have already reach
/ ed the Commission come from sections OF
/ the West where zero weather pre-
/ walls nearly all the winter, which
have recently been visited by storms that
/ have caused great distress.
I Intimations have been conveyed to
government authorities that the railroads
could put an end 10 the car shortage AZ
once II they so desired. The Interstate
/ Commerce Commission is not disposed 10
I pass judgment on the railroads until the
/ facts are inquired into.