The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-16
COAL SHORTAGE
IN NORTHWEST
Great Suffering Will Ensue Un-
less the Situation Is I'M
mediateIy Relieved.
URGENT REQUEST FOR AID
NORTH DAKOTA ESPECIALLY IN
BAD SHAPE.

Washington, Dec 15.-The telegram
sent yesterday by the interstate COM
merce commission to the president of
various railway systems calling their
attention to complaints Of car shortage
and failure to transport the necessities
of life, brought replies today from Vice
President Bennington of the Minneap-
oils, st. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie rail-
way; George B. Harris, the president
of the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy
railroad, and Marvin Hughitt of the
Chicago & Northwestern railroad.
None of the answers. however, is from
the railroad companies supplying the
territory where the shortage of fuel is
stated TO exist
Mr.. Pennington telegraphed: There
is no blockade of freight or shortage of
cars on our lines west of Minneapolis,
except what is due to bad billiards in
the last few days
! Burlington In Good Shape.
President Harris of the Burlington
telegraphed from Chicago: I'VE will
endeaVor to comply and furnish prompt
and satisfactory service, and viii be
much pleased to have any suggestions
You will kindly make. There has been
no general or prOtracted shortage of
cars or congestion Of traffic on the Bur-
lington. though it is true that in every
territory there is car shortage and
some congestion due to the fact that
shippers. especially of coal, have little
or no provision in the way of shortage
and always decline to anticipate their
orders. consequently there is a general
demand for coal at the first real cold
weather We have been able to trans
port coal for all our customers with
reasonable promptness. and to do some
thing in the way Of furnishing cars
anu transporting coal for other rail-
roads. If there is any specific COM
saint on the Burlington road at pres
ent II has not been made known to the
officers of this company, and if the
commission has received any complaint
as to our failure to transport coal on
the Burlington we will be Obliged if
YOU viii give us the details and we will
guarantee prompt relief"
Answer of Northwestern.
President Hughitt of the Chicago & /
Northwestern said:
The Chicago & Northwestern Rail- |
way company is not falling at this
time, nor has it at any time, failed to
furnish cars and to move them with
reasonable promptness, both for fuel
and other commodities, and if there is
suffering for lack of any commodity
Al stations tributary to its lines, let me
assure you that it is not due to failure
on the part of this company to dis
charge it's full duty in this respect I
have during the last three weeks been
liz frequent communication with the
governor of South Dakota on this ques-
ton. The reports this morning indi-
cate a good supply Of fuel at sta tions |
on the line of this company, especially |
in Minnesota and South Dakota"
Senator Hansbrough of North Dako- |
ia consulted the commission today and |
declared that the situation regarding /
fuel in his state is most deplOrable, and |
that the public schools are closing on |
account of a lack of fuel. 1t is said at !
the commissions Offices that for a num- |
Der of years at this season there had
been complaints of a lack of cars. but |
that the situation was never so acute |
as now.