Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-30
many MEN ENTOMBED| PEOPLE DESPERATE
Number of Dead in Stuart Mine Blame Railways for Scarcity
y Disaster Unknown. OF Coal
RESCUE WORK is RETARDED MAY WRECK BUILDINGS
Distinctions Prevent Lowering OF Complaint OF Innnerence or ne
Cage to Bottom. cheney.
PHYSICIANS ON THE SCENE CHARGES sTOUTLY DENIED
Miners Startling Telegram Received From
Be Taken Alive the Stricken District BY the In
Fir. Adds To Horrors testateC CONNIE Conmi
Complaint Of Indifference or IneM-
cheney.
srouTLY DENIED
Startling Telegram Received From
the Stricken District by the Inc
terstate Commerce Commission.

Worse and worse reports are being re-
ceived by the interstate commerce commits
sion from the fuel famine district OF North
Dakota. There has been continuous big
zard over the country. and the weather
cleared with the temperature far below
zero and nve feet Of snow on the level.
kilograms come in daily from towns where
there is actual suffering and famine, and
whose inhabitants accuse the railroads OF
inefdciency and indifference. The railroads
on the other hand declare that they are
doing all they can to relieve the situation,
and that the reports Of suffering must be
exaggerated.
People Desperate.
Senator Hansbrough received telegram
last night from New Rockford saying that
the people were desperate and that they
were on the point Of burning the railroad
sheds and buildings for fuel. The message
said that they would take this step in forty
eight hours II not relieved sooner.
A dispatch was sent to Howard Ellicott.
president Of the Northern Pacific road, stat
ing the case and he replied that the road
was doing all 1t could to get relief train
into New Rockford. but that two engines
were dead on the track" in the attenpt
and that It would be necessary to send men
to dig them out. However. he hoped they
would get train through soon.
A message from Leeds. N. D., was signed
by E. B. Page. the mayor of the town. It
was brief, but significant. II said:
People here freezing. VIII take from
five to ten cars to relieve"
The Commercial Club Of Mexbass, N. D.,
wired today:
Fuel situation has not been exaggerated.
Farmers here waiting for train. No train
Eos Tan 1ox
coal on q train, but cannot say when train
will arrive. Two cars will not suffice to
relieve the situation, as all surrounding
country Is out Of coal. Must have relief at
once"
Government Intervention Asked.
Another dispatch from Underwood says:
mo train to Garrison since January 1C
and none to Underwood since January 10
No effort is being made by the railroad
company. Postal service has been suspend
ed. Practically no freight for several weeks
insufficient snow fences: not single engine
equipped with snow pillow. Rotary idle hall
the time. Incompetent, insufficient help.
Division superintendent Indifferent. Supply
fuel provisions nearly exhausted; untold
suffering will soon follow. One hundred
business men, this branch, petition you to
invoke government Intervention"
The dispatch was signed by J. T. Hodge
Of the Underwood Commercial Club.
A message from Colgate says that no mail
has been received there for q week. and
that the railroad Is apparently making nc
effort to relieve the situation.
The Railroad Version.
A long telegram from e. Pennington,
vice president and general manager Of the
500 line, gave the railroad version Of the
story and made light of the reports Of suf-
fering. 1t said:
"Your messages regarding North Dakota
situation received. There are many incon-
veniences in that section Of North Dakota,
but no suffering and no prospect Of any.
All that portion Of North Dakota has
Ignite cial. We have had the worst bliz-
zard of the year, lasting three days, and
from that time it has been very cold. livery
possible effort is being made to open the
line, which is nearly accomplished. Ro-
tares working day and night. All push
plows being used that can be. There can
The reports referred to were from the
suffering towns along the line Of the 500.
James j. Hill has been in New York. but
his son. I. II. Hill, wired the commission
that the 500 line is tied up for $50 miles
from Kenmare to Thief River Falls, and
that no effort is being made to open the
road. He says there have been several
men killed already in an effort to force q
way through, though he does not say how
the deaths occurred. and adds that the
company is proceeding cautiously"
From this it appears that the Great
Northern Is operating along the 500 line
trying to open up way for trains where
the other company has either failed or done
nothing.