Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-05-25
The Coal Situation.

W. L. Park. General Superin
tendent of the Union Pacific rail
road, is authority for the state
ment that crop conditions in the
northwest are normal, wheat is
looking at its best, and recent
snow and rain storms have pro
vided ample moisture to practic-
ally insure the crop. He notes
great activity in the dry farming
in western Kansas and eastern
Colorado. Many new people are
going into this region.
In view of the rapid settlement
of the country, Mr.. Parks is of
the opinion that the coal situa-
ton is the most serious that con-
fronts the people, particularly in
the west. The population is
growing so fast that the demands
made upon the mines are very
much beyond their capacity.
He says: 1t is quite likely
that next winter will see a much
more serious condition than ex-
listed during the past, for the
reason that the country west of
Rock Springs mines is settling
up very rapidly and requires the
entire commercial out put at the
present time. Recently very
little Rock Springs coal has been
shipped east of Cheyenne and
practically none has left the rails
of the Union Pacific or it's affiliat-
ed lines during the past year. 1t
may be possible for the cOnSum-
ers along the Union Pacific, east
of Rock Springs, to obtain this
coal, if the dealers store it dur
ing the summer. This we are
urging them to do, knowing how
much the people appreciate the
quality of this fuel. This would
also give them some insurance
against coal famine in the
winter of 19O7-S, to which they
are entitled.
AS the railroads will be en-
tirely segregated from the coal
business next winter it is up to
the dealers to provide such facil-
tiles for storing it and it is up to
the people to see that they do it.
Heretofore, the railroads pro-
tected the people against coal
shortages by selling from their
company supply coal to individ-
uals and to dealers. Under the
Hepburn Bill this will not, here
after, be permitted
1T is by no means a question
of transportation. The problem
will be producing the coal in suf-
ficient quantities to meet increas-
ed demands.
II would not like to see the
people along our line suffer as
they have done in Montana and
Dakota and in Canada during the
past winter and / want to get on
record this early that they must
look out for themselves to al
greater extent than they have
done heretofore, on account of
the changed conditions.
Our road, as well as the other
lines have plenty of cars and
power at this time to handle coal
and instead of laying the miners
off during the summer, as has
been the practice frequently |
heretofore, they should be con
employed and the coal
gotten to where it is accessible
to the consumer. Those who
have the space in the space in
their cellar bins should lay in
good supply. A great many can
by a very small expense, add to
their individual supplies. Neither
the dealers nor the railroads can
be expected to assume
5he entire responsibility for a
coal famine The small consum-
II must sit up and take notice of
he existing conditions and pro-
ject himself as far as possible,
either by contracting with his
lealers for an early delivery in
,rder that he may provide facili-
les for holding or taking the
,oal and storing it on his own