Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-16
The I.
The telegram

The telegram
Knapp of the NM
mission TO the presidents of various rail-
road systems calling their attention to the
many complaints of car shortage and fail
ure to transport the necessities of life
brought forth reply yesterday from Vice
PRESIDENT Pennington of the Minneapols.
81. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie railway:
George b. Harris, the pr esident of the Bur-
lngton ana Quincy railroad, and Marvin
Hughitt of the Chicago Northwestern rail-
way. None of the answers, however are
from the railroad companies supplying the
territory where the shortage of fual 10
stated to exist. The dispatches made pub-
nc py the commission are as follows: Vice
FIesioent remington of the MINNEAPOLIS
81 Paul and sault Ste Marie railway
teiegraphs from Minneapolis:
There is no blockade of freight or short.
age OF cars on our lines west of Mlnneapo-
lis, except what is due to very bad biz
assured we would exert every effort pos
sfble to relieve any suffering that may be
on our line"
President Harris Reply.
President Harris of the Burlington teIe-
graphed from Chicago:
I'VE will endeavor to comply and furnish
prompt and satisfactory service and be
much pleased to have any suggestions YOU
will kindly make. There has been no -..
eral or protracted shortage of cars or ,-
dition of traffic on the Burlington
though it is true that every year the
some car shortage and some congo
due to the fact that shippers, espec
of coal. have little or no provision in an,
way of shortage and always decline to an
uclpate their orders, consequently there is "A
general demand for coal at the first real
colo weather We have been unable to
coal for all our customers with
reasonable promptness and to do something
In the way of furnishing cars and trans
porting coal for other railroads If there
Is any specific complaint on the Burlington
road at present 1t has not been made
known to the officers of this company and
If the commission has received any COM
piatnt as to our failure to transport coal on
the Burlington we will be obliged If you
Will give US the details and We will guar
antee prompt relief.
What President Hughitt Says
President Hughitt of the Chicago and
said:
THE Chicago and Northwestern Railway
Company is not falling at this time nor
has 1t at any time failed to furnish cars
and to move them with reasonable prompt
ness both for fuel and other commodities.
and If there is suffering for lack of any
commodity at stations tributary to its lines
let me assure you that 1t is not due to
failure on the part of this company to dis
charge its full duty In this respect 1 have
Turing the past three weeks been in fire.
luent communication with the governor of
South Dakota on this subject. The reports
his morning indicate good supply of fuel
1t all stations on the line of this COM
pany, especially in Minnesota and South
Dakota"
Senator Hansbrough Confers
Senator Hansbrough of North Dakota had
constitution with the members of the COM
mission yesterday, and declared that the
ituation regarding shortage of coal was
most deplorable in his state. and that the
public schools in some localities were clos
ng on account of a lack of fuel to keep the
children warm. 1t is said at the commits
ion offices that for a number of years past
It this season and earlier in the year there
lad been complaints received of lack of
quipment to properly transport freight,
ut that the situation in this respect was
ever acute now.
The active work of the commission in
boxing into the situation will begin this
7eek at Minneapolis and Chicago. Commits
toner's Land and Harlan left Washington
asst night for Minneapolis to begin their
york of inquiry.