Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-30
port under the above caption, formed
the subject Of an extended discussion.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN
FLUENCE.


the SUBJECT OF an extended discussion.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN
FLUENcE.
The committee was Of the opinion that
the railroad while II IN fact owned no
MINES, ana was not producer of coal,
put oniy common carrier thereof, vet
might exercise predominatins innu-
ence on the c-etribution of such OF the
coihinodlty as Is produced, and urged
that THIS company while admittedly
1t Nigh not force, yet by reason of It's
relations, might extensively influence
the shipping of coal by the mines to
certain classes OF consumers, To the end
tnat me limited supply might he equt-
ably distributed.
1T was stated to the committee in re-
ply mat We had often urged and would.
at critical times urge the mining COM
panies to hurry shipments to threatened
points, and that the mines had always
SHOWN disposition to cooperate to the
ruiz extent of their ability IN prevent
ing sufrerlng, nor had we reason to
doubt that in cases OF extremity they
would again respond to our appeals.
lt was pointed out, also, that we had.
SO lar as lay in our power influenced
the shipment of coal from mines along
our line ito local territory having no
other source upon which TO depend, sus-
tanning thereby the loss at competitive
points, not of the coal business alone
nut of other competitive tonnage de-
pendent upon our furnishing our quota
of fuel spply. The committee was fur
Their advised Of what it's members and
the public generally, of course, already
knew that we had time and again sur
rendered engine coal at all points along
the line even when our own supply was
below the danger point when necessary
rnIA -
disaster of the stopping of some in
dustry such as the thra shers when
grain must waste IN consequence. the
creameries, which must care for perish
able product brick plants. with half
burned kilns, water plants upon which
the cities and towns depend for water
and fire protection, etc.
These things we have done and just
continue to do, as the situation war
rants, yet 1t was stated TO your COM
mittee, and ! state to you, that further
than that we cannot go. Ultimately
the producers OF coal viii direct it's
distribution. They have shown no dis
position, within our knowledge, to be
anything but fair to all in that mat
ter nor is there reason to anticipate
that they will but II was pointed out
TO the committee that we are trans
porters, NOT producers, of coal, and
that car of that commodity, gener-
ally speaking, like any other, will nee
essarily be hauled to the destination to
which it is billed by the shipper
Therefore IL was further explained 10
the committee. quite properly. ] feel
you viii agree, that while glad to CO.
operate and lend our influence in the
direction of any Improvement i'm
methods which might be suggested,
still our sphere of action has reasona-
BILE and necessary limits, and the dis
cussion of any improved plan of coal
distribution of wider scope than that
should be had with the coal produce
ers and shippers rather than with us
COAL TAKEN BY THE RAILROAD
COMPANIES.
1t is true, as stated by your COM
mittee, and for obvious reasons, be-
cause the railroads must run or no.
body will have fuel or, in fact many
other necessaries. that at times COM
mercial coal has been taken by the
railroads and diverted to their own.
use; but such cars, 1t can be shown
are always promptly replaced, and
oftener than not loads so taken are
in cars that are in bad order and UNI
safe to run, being diverted to COM
pany use only for that reason. 1t can
further be truthfully said that the
company coal diverted to private use
commercial coal taken by the railroad
companies.
1t is again true, as stated by your
committee, that. temporarily. during
the time when some of the Cumber-
land mines We're unable to furnish
the usual supply, the Kemmerer prop
critics had 10 be drawn upon for a
portion of company coal That con-
dition obtained only for the time be-
Ing however. and ppa sod 10 pxirt it,uf
about the time the committees report
was written, so that the entire Kem-
merer output is now going to fill com
mercial orders. The coal from the Dia-
mondville mines which as stated by
the committee, is furnished for COM
pany use Is only small quantity used
at the Kemmerer chuts.
CAR SHORTAGE.
The committe referred during the
discussion here to the shortage of cars
existing during the summer and fall
of 1906, urging that a REPETITION be pre-
vented If possible. That there was
such a shortage, though its effects on
last wears coal troubles was much
overestimated, is true, and II was due,
during the summer more than to any
other one cause, TO the freight block
ade following the San Francisco dis
aster. with which the public Is al
ready quite tatnlllal, ana curing tne
fall. largely 10 the enormous quantity
Of sugar beets which had to be moved
within a short period. In the effort to
care for coal shipments many temper
airy beet cars were then fitted ont at
heavy expense to us, and thousands OF
tons of beets We're pitted after digging
and hauled and manufactured later at
an Increased cost to the factories. For
the year 1907 II is estimated that
about five hundred thousand tons OF
beets must be moved during October
and November. II VIII be during those
months that the test will come. yet, as
your committee has been assured. ow-
Ing to increase IN quantity of equip
ment. we do not doubt our ability TO
handle the coal as fast as 1t can be
mined
Incidentally. II Is cause for regret.
that owing to the fact that the coal
could not be produced, our effort 10
induce the use of coal equipment lying
IDLE during the summer of 1907 by
offering reduced rate on coal ship
ped ana stored during June. July and
August, proved Ineffective
FACILITIES FOR LOADING.
The lack of machinery for load
ing box cars mentioned by the COM
mittee Is. Of course, question for