The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-01
Congressman Marshall Gets
Facts in Minneapolis for
Relief Campaign.
Interstate Commerce Com
, mission Already Alive
$685.. SO.
to Need Of Action.

If careful investigation and def
milton of causes can help in relieving
the present car situation in the north
west, shippers may rest assured that
they will either receive relief this year
or that the 1906 conditions will not be
repeated in years to come 49,
Congressman, Thomas F, Marshall of
North Dakota was in Minneapolis yes.
terday EN- route to Washington He
spent several hours informing himself
on the freight blockade as viewed from
this end, and when he left last night he
had secured or arranged to secure facts
WHICH. taken with those he already had
IN hand, VIII cover the effect of the
present situation upon all the leading
shipping interests. Mr. Marshall is
anxious to avoid anything like a gal
lery-plaY attack upon the railroads: he
believes that thorogoing development
OF facts is something which will 90
long way to clear up the situation, and
that by keeping all bitterness out Of
the proceeding the cooperation Of the
roads themselves may be secured.
Livestock Tied Up, Too
From his own investigations in North
Dakota and Montana, Mr.. Marshall is
in a position to know that the blockade
is hitting other than the grain produc-
Ing interests. He was particularly i'm
interests are in some respects worse off
than the grain growers, for stock
farmer who has cattle or sheep ready
for market and can not get cars to ship
them In can not heap them on the
ground to await transportation. If he
can not ship them within few days
OF the time he has planned to do so,
he is subject to heavy loss, for live ami.
mails have an unfortunate habit of need.
ing plenty of feed. which costs money.
The first work of the North Dakota
congressman when he reaches Wash
lngton will be to ascertain exactly how
to proceed to secure a prompt investi-
cation of the situation by the inter
state commerce commission. If neces-
sary he said he was prepared to de-
mand speedy action by means of reso-
luton, but today's dispatches from w.
w. Jermane, t he j ournal 8 Wash
1ngton correspondent, indicate that if
the commission had a formal complaint
In hand it would not be necessary for
cong to order any investigation.
With a specific complaint laid before it /
the commission could take up the mat
ter at once. So many general COM
plants have come to that body that it
is already keenly alive to the fact that
car supply conditions the country over
demand attention and a general inquiry
may be made on the commission s own
INITIATIVE. IlOWcNeI, WIN u large DOT
ton of North Dakota depending so
largely upon speedy returns from it's
wheat. the situation there is somewhat
more oppressive than in older com
munltles which are nearer market or
have so many lines of produce that
they can carry themselves regardless
of temporary tie-up in transportation.
For this reason plans are already under
way for transmitting to the commits
sion a formal complaint on conditions
there.
Whole Country Congested.
Mr.. Jermane says of the general con-
ditions:
1.-The trouble extends from the At
lantic to the Pacific, and from lakes to
gulf. There is usually car shortage
in the fall months, when crops are NOV
ing, but it is said that this condition
is more widespread this fall than ever
Oregon, for instance, people are liter
ally freezing to death because they can
not get fuel. In those states, and also
in parts of California and Nevada.
there is a shortage of certain kinds Of
days ago, trainload of coal, consigned
to some point beyond Nyssa, was
stopped by mob of citizens and two
cars were forcibly sidetracked. The
cold weather had set in and there was
fuel famine in the town. So acute was
the situation and so pressing the needs,
that it is said here there will be no
attempt to prosecute the guilty par
ties.
"The interstate commerce commission
is beginning to consider the car situa-
ton with a good deal of care and it
is quite possible that it may, of it's
own motion, begin a general inquiry.
AS a rule, the commission waits for
formal complaint to be made and con-
fines itself to the specific case men
toned in the complaint. Should it be-
gin the general inquiry referred to, it