Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-07-30
BUY YOUR COAL
RAILROADS ADOPT AN UNIQUE
SCHEME OF AVOIDING FUEL
FAMINE.

Traffic officers Of the Northern Pa
cific Railway have taken unique steps
towards avoiding a possible coal I
shortage in the northwest this win
ter. by utilizing the arrangements
made for the advertising of passen-
ger traffic matter. in calling the at.
tention of coal dealers and coal con-
sutners generally to the necessity OF ]
laying In their winter stocks Of fuel |
at once. Display advertising has
never before been used by northwest
ern railways for such a purpose.
The advertisements, which have |
been sent to many newspaper on the
fine of the Northern Pacific Railway,
state in terse and emphatic terms
that the best way to avoid a coal
shortage is to buy early, and that
at the present time there is fuel at
the head Of the lakes and empty cars
with which to move it. For the time
being these advertisements will take
the place Of publicity with reference
to rates and trains. The effect of the !
experiment, which is a rather novel
excursion into the advertising field !
for a railway, is being watched with
much interest.
Railway officers fear that should
northwestern dealers delay their or
ders for winter coal, such shipments
will again fall into the months when
the northwestern wheat crop is NOV
ing, and when all the available equip
ment and motive power of the rail-
ways Is necessarily employed in keep
ing the wheat moving and the lines.
clear of congestion. A year ago this
and other causes made it extremely
difficult to move coal. The extreme
ly severe weather which suddenly de-
scended on the northwest later prac-
tica1ly stopped traffic for consider
able period, and brought on a severe
shortage OF fuel.
All the leading northwestern lines
are making efforts to secure an early
movement of coal from the head Of
| the lakes to all the various local
points, and their officers are anxious
to bring about a condition under
which, before severe cold weather
comes again, both the consumers and
dealers will be thoroughly advised
OF the necessity of getting in their
supply Of fuel in advance, and
prompted to protect themselves
iagainst the possibility of a shortage
| by having their winter fuel actually
on hand. r. -
/. Northern Pacific traffic Officers a
| month ago took up the coal question
1 with the big fuel concerns at the
lhead of the lakes and asked them to
get into touch with their customers
and urge early deliveries of winter
coal. Local dealers were reached
| by letter and the danger of delaying
their orders to the fuel docks was
pointed out. The dealers have, in
many cases. replied that they will
gladly lay in early stocks of coal for
| the winter If their customers can be
persuaded to place their individual
orders early, and the railway is now
seeking to interest the individual con-
sumers through the medium Of ad-
Ivertisements calling attention to the
traffic problems which will arise If
the northwest's orders for coal from
the head of the lakes do not reach
the fuel docks until the lines are
rushed to the limit with wheat ship
ments, with snow and cold following
almost Immediately after the cessa-
tion .of wheat shipments. None Of
the northwestern lines are anxious
for another snow blockade. and all
are making determined efforts to
protect their territory against the
difficulties involved should the ad-
verse conditions Of last winter again
prevail