Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-15
BIames Coal Dealers.

Larimore, S. D., Jan. 15.-Louis w.
Hill, vice president Of the Great Nor
thern. while in the city, spoke of a
coal dealers combination. Many peo-
pie having full knowledge OF this COM
! bination and the difficulty in getting
fuel. asked Mr.. Hill while here to look
into the matter and take 1t up.
Yesterday he sent the following mes
sage to James ]. Hill. st. Paul:
Il find in every town that parties
who tried to get coal in early were re-
fused coal by the dealers at the head
of the lakes. and referred to retail
dealers up here who carried no coal in
the early fall when they wanted it, and
the dealers did not begin placing or
ders till September and October, when
the grain congestion began.
There is combination of retail
dealers who control the coal business
here and will boycott any Duluth or
Superior dealer who sells outside"
In an interview he said, referring to
the above message:
This is the worst feature Of the sit
uation. If combination here assumes
responsibility Of handling all the coal
they should have anticipated it, and
not expect the railway to keep the
towns supplied by ordering car at a
time.
Il have talked with many old-timers
who have tried, as was their custom
to put in the supply Of coal early, but
could get nothing from the dealers
at Duluth and Superior, or the retail
dealers here. Ed Saunders gave this
information to the interstate commerce
commission at their hearing in Mime
apolis.
1T might be worth their while to
look into it. find the big orders plac-
ed were after the blizzard began.
I'VE ran seven coal specials, last
night out of one point and are doing
everything possible to help the situa-
ton. There is no cause for suffering
while we are distributing company
coal
The responsibility should not rest
on us, but on the retail combination
who are in business and at present
monopolize it, If they had anticipated
and co-operated as we are doing, there
would have been no shortage"
Bad in Canada.
Winnipeg, Man., Jan. 15.-The snow
fall thruout the Canadian northwest
this winter is remarka BILE, establishing
a record for many years and already
there are forebodings regarding floods
in the spring. The snow is so deep
that the numbering industry in the Rid
ing Mountains has been crippled and
many of the camps abandoned, the
snow averaging from five to fifteen feet
in the woods. Wood cutting has been
suspended and railroad traffic badly
paralyzed. Advices received from many
Of the western towns show that they
are in sad want of fuel and in some
instances the people have been obliged
warm.
Word comes from Neepawa that the
town is without fuel of any descrip-
ton and Canadian Northern trains are
stalled on the track. Such a snowfall
has not been seen there since the first
white man settled on the plains. From
Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat
reports have been received to the effec.
that thousands OF cattle are starving
there for want of food, the snow hav-
ing covered all the heritage and the
little that was exposed has been rem
dered useless by the heavy frosts fol-
lowing closely on the chinooks.
Farmers say that stock feed will be
scarce, as owing to the cold weather