The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-09-18
FUEL FAMINE
IS AvERTED
COnsummati0n of Negotiations TO
Secure a Steady Supply
Of Coal.
ATTORNEY BELFORO'S WORK
Conditions All Over State Will he
Vastly Improved Over Iasi
Year.

Negotiations that promise To give
final and adequate relief to the state
of Nevada from the regular winter
shortage of fuel, which at times
verges upon condition of actual
famine. are now being conducted in
Salt Lake City, by Samuel w. Bel
ford of the local law firm of Belford
& Shwayder. These negotiations
have been nearly completed, and will
have been perfected by Attorney
Belford prior to his return to Ely
within the next ten days.
Attorney Belford has been absent
from Ely for the last four months,
wrestling with the fuel problem, and
has now written that he has reached
a final solution. In his efforts to Sc
cure an adequate and regular supply
of coal for the state. he has thorough
ly canvassed the fuel situation in ely.
Reno, Goldfeld, Tonopah and mum
ber OF other cities and districts where
the greater quantities of fuel are
used for industrial consumption. lie
has also spent considerable time i'll
Denver and other Colorado cities,
Salt Lake. New York City and Wash
ington, ID. c.
At Washington Mr. Belford called
the attention of the Interstate Com
merce commission to conditions that
have existed in Nevada for several
years, and convinced the members OF
the commission that this state re-
ouired their attention in this matter.
The result of this series of confer
ences with the commissioners, dur
ing which he laid before them mass
of facts in detail, the commission has
taken up the matter of the adjust
ment of freight rates on coal from
the Colorado mines: the matter OF
direct and rapid transportation; and
also the matter of securing sufll-
cient number of ears to handle the
fuel.
The result Of these conferences is
that arrangements have been per
fected with the Colorado Fuel Supply
company, by whicl that company, in
conjunction with the Nevada Fuel
Supply company, will furnish to the
Nevada trade, 5000 tons per month
of first class coal,
This is but preliminary, how
ever, as it is estimated that the guam
tity to be delivered to this trade will
reach total of not less than 10000
tons per month, before the winter
demand is fairly begun.
In order to perfect this arrange
ment, Attorney Belford, who is the
legal representative in Nevada of the
Colorado corporation, as well as
stakeholder, found II necessary to tie
up the greater part OF the rolling
stock of the Goldfeld & Tonopah
railroad.
II was found impossible to secure
the rolling stock of ,he Southern Pa
cifc for this purpose, as the traffic
on that road has reached such enor-
NOUS proportions that no foreign
business can be handled, all of the
cars of the company being in constant
use on their own lines. Satisfactory
arrangements were concluded with
| the Goldfeld & TonOpah railroad.
| however, through the aid of the In
terstate Commerce commission, and
now hut few details remain to be
cleared up before the full amount of
| 10000 tons per month will enter the
state in the cars of that company.
The matter of adjustment of
freight rates, which was taken before
| t e commission, will also be settled
|
| tory rate can be secured for Ely, fuel
W. be laid down here in the bins Of
| the domestic consumer, at $l2 per
ton In the event that these rates
cannot be secured. the coal viii be
marketed at a cost that will not eN-
ceed $1o per ton.
During last winter householders in
Ely were required to pay SIS per ton
| for coal that was not of the best
quality, and even at that price. the
supply at no time was fully equal TO
the demand.
| At Goldield, coal sold at $40 per
ton, and even at that figure, there
was condition of actual famine.
Wood sold at Goldfield for $40 per
load.
"A shipment of coal from the West
ern Colorado coal fields is already
on the way to the Nevada market.
having left the mines September 10.