The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-01-03
BLAME RAILROADS
FOR FUEL FAMINE
COMMERCE COMMISSION FINDS
CAUSES BUT NO CURE FOR
CAR SHORTAGE.
REMEDIES SUGGESTED
TO Force Roads TO Supply Demand
Fer Cars-Grsat Losa to Farm
srs and Others is Shown
Trust Not Responsible.

Washington, y. c. January p
Causes, but not cure, for the car short
age in the northwest and the conse-
quent coal famine in North Dakota
has been determined by members Of
the Interstate Commerce Commission,
participating IN the recent hearings al
Chicago and Minneapolis. Frank K.
Lane, chairman of the investigating
commission, today flied his report
with the full commission and sent it
TO President Roosevelt, who ordered
he inquiry.
He finds that fair inference from
all testimony that the real cause of
coal scarcity in North Dakota was
caused by such an abundance of west
bound traffic a the head Of the Great
Lakes that cars were not available in
the congested state Of that terminal
for the carrying of coal TO North Da-
kota-a comparatively short haul for
a low class commodity
Find Proof of Coal Trust.
Referring to the report that the coal
hortage was due to the presence Of
trust or combination between dealers
in coal who fixed prices in the north
west and refused to sellto outsiders
and 'irregulars, the report says;
"The commission has gained indis-
putable proof of an agreement be.
tween coal dealers to maintain prices
and to boycott all who do not so
agree; but there is no evidence al all
5ustifying the contention that this
combination Is chargeable with the
coal shortage prevailing, nor that the
railroads were party in such a way
to such a conspiracy.
The report discusses in detail the
conditions in the northwest AMI
shows that the failure OF railroads to
prepare t0"moye grain cRdsed a great
financial lors to''tAs people But htir,
ty-eight per cent off, his years crop
has been moved and 50oo0000 bush
els of grain are still ia North Dakota
because Of the car shortage.
THE farmer cannot sell, the re-
pert SAYS. because country dealers
cannot buy Country dealers cannot
buy because country elevators are
still full Country elevators remain
full because railroads have not moved
the grain from the country elevators
10 the terminal elevators. The termin-
al elevators al Duluth. Superior and
which act as great reser-
voirs, are almost empty and at no lime
during the season have they been fill
ed 10 more than one third OF their
capacity"
Remedies Are Suggested.
As a remedy the proposed car clear
ing house. finds some favor, but the
most generally advocated remedy the
nve. tigators found was that carriers
be penalized upon failure to furnish
cars demanded. The commission.
however, does not think that trans
portation difficulties could be over
come BY such measure. The commits
sion considers the problem much deep
or and broader than the mere lacs OF
cars and engines, and that it wolves
every factor Of railroading. The report
cities may possible causes OF the
trouble and c-7clrdes:
IF the Interstate Commerce Com
mission is TO be vested with the power
to make rules under which railroads
shall be required under penalty 10
furn 'sh cars to shippers this con-
mission .hould also be empowered to
make rules under which free inter
change Of cars shall be effected. or to
require railroads engaging in inter
state commerce 10 make such rules
for their own protection and provide
for their enforcement"