The Minneapolis journal., 1906-12-18
HOW AUTHORITIES DIFFER
Railroad Presidents and Officials Give
Ideas Of the Reason.

Il q F q
Ideas Of the Reason.
Testimony before the interstate com
merce commission in Minneapolis and
explanatlons of railroad presidents re-
gar;dlng the coal shortage indicate a
wide range Of reasons assffgned for pres
ent conditions. Yesterday D. M. Phil
PIN, t who is at the head;of affairs for
the Great Northern at the head Of the
lakes, told the commissioners that fewer
empires had been moved west this year
Jhan usual. He and e. G. Blanchard
OF the Northern Pacific both indicated
tnat their roads were themselves short
OF coal IN the very territory where resi-
genus o are facing winter with insult
hclent fuel supplies. These statements
sned an ! interesting light on the inter
views OF President Howard Elliott Of
the; Northern Pacific and of Alb. Stick
attributed the fuel shortage in large
part to the improvidenee of retail deal
ers and private consumers in not order
ing supplies till the last moment.
FROM the testimony of, coal whole
salers yesterday it appears that the
rush to fill coal orders began early in
october, but that difficulty was ex-
per1enced from the first in filling or
gers; Within six weeks practically all
the big wholesalers were behind so far
andael IN deliveries that they stopped booking
President Hills Opinion. .z
Mr.: Hill IS explanation of the situa-
ton as transmitted TO the interstate
commerce commission, says:
Replying to your message repeated
from st. Paul to New York, am on nv
way to st. Paul to meet commissioners
Ton tomorrow: 1lr: The coal scarcity in North
Rakota ~; is not due to want of cars.
Thousands of empty =. cars have been
!! moving 10Y II n from the head Of Lake Super
lor to the grain fields during the fall
and coal ordered by local dealers has
te been 10 only sufficient to supply from day
During the last two weeks there
nave been very heavy ssnowstorms
with thermometer below zero. Snow
DRIFTS Ground stations from six to fif.
teen feet deep have temporarily
blocked railroads. :. ~ .ora5:
Special trains, of; coal having right.
of-Way over all other traffic are being
sent and road is being opened as fast
as conditions will allow. - -
1.-THE fuel difficulty lis temporary
ana IS being rapidly remedied. The
general condition applying to all traf.
fic is due to the rapid increase in ton.
mage to be moved. Owing to- Difficult.
ties IN dlsposing Of, freight at terminals
the se average car movement. varies from
tifteen to thirty miles a day.
Our increase in locomotives and
cars since last spring is from Is to II
per cent in number and more than that
in capacity swhich6 ith responsible sop:
esFs eessuaftz e }hs f traig aGS you'd amply tate M
Inability 80 ]. sectthfe; labor at aniy
price has badly, delayAeds the completion
OF. additional main abFacks and termi.
nails. We have orders for new loco
motives to be delivered between now
and June for 25 per cent increase In
capacity. and~6,0e0z freight cars to be
delivered between January and Sep.
tember, capacity of the latter 2sO, 1000
However, permanent relief can only
come con g. hlru.1nereasesi in double track and
terminal facilities. y.ssA s,;ss.# !. q
4 ssTWe are now rarranginp sffor: ii On ! 81.
penditure Of 500 100000 ,tluring the
next two. Years ito. provide additional
track criminals, Se duip iip5ment and new {,
lil1es When ira ffie5 IS heaviest. 9 g u
+ "a No. Car Shortage. n
President Earlinge. Of the Nh: il:
waukee system wired as follows:
There has been no deficiency in car
supply upon the lines of the SChicar 90
N milwaukee, & St. Paul railway, greater
than usually occurs during the heavy
ran movement Of crops eastbound and
merchandise cfI and fuel westbound.
The motive power of the company
has been sufficient to move all its traf.
tic promptly. There has been no fail.
9, gre or unusual delay in transporting
fuel or other necessities of life The
movement of fuel has had preference
owe oyer e. other westbound traffic for the
will be continued so long as necessity
may exist.'' = .~-s ,,'-0',,' - u
President Elliott Speaks.
According to Howard Elliott, presi.
dent of the Northern Pacific lines. il
IS combination Of circumstances that
has caused the present condition. He
admits that there is shortage Of fue]
In certain towns served by his line, but
says there is little inconvenience in
other respects. Last June and July the
Northern PacifHo off al 1o 4l,c 4