New-York tribune., 1907-01-30
FUEL FAMINE WORSE.
NO RELIEF IN SIGHT.
Mr. Hill Said To BE Discouraged
North DakOtams Desperate.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau J

washington, Jan. 29.-The President the mem
bers of the Interstate Commerce Commission
and the Congress delegation from North Dakota
are gravely concerned over the fuel famine in
that state, which shows no signs OF abatement
and which is entailing such suffering that the
people are growing desperate. Towns where
there is absolutely no fuel the thermometer is
from - TO IS degrees below zero and mail aud
railway communication with the outside world
is completely shut of are besleging the Inter
state Commerce Commission the President. aad
their representatives in Congress. bv telegram
to sford them assistance at any cost.
In some instances even telegraphic comn,u
nication is cut off. and messages have TO be
carried ten or twenty miles across the snow
covered and wind swept prairfes to the nearest
open telegraph Office. Such was the case with
one telegram received here to-day. 1t comes
from the Cop,merciaI Club Of Maxbass. and was
carried across the open prairie ten miles 10 Eek
man MaXbass is small town on the Great
Northern Railway. close 10 the Canadian line
and little west Of midway between the eastern
and western boundaries of North Dakota. This
message reads:
Situation unchanged. Two coal cars (snowed
M hetNeen here and Towner. Conditions grow
more desperate every hour Wire communica-
ton cut OF.
From New Rockford on the Northern Pacific
Railway, comes the following message:
Fuel situation desperate The railway on this
branch not making any effort to-day to relieve
Us. Have had freight this year no mail for
twelve days. People desperate Will burn rail-
way property for fuel If relief is not forthcom-
ing within forty-eight hours.
Other information which reaches the Inter
state Commerce Commission to-day indicates
that President Hill Of the Great Northern Rail
way. has about thrown up HIS hands" has
grown discouraged and abandoned the effort TO
relieve the freezing people Of North Dakota
An early appeal for relief by the federal gov
eminent was answered by a dispatch to the
Governor OF North Dakota, asking II it was
not possible for the state 10 afford relief To
this the Governor replied that the railways were
doing everything possible. meaning, apparently
TO imply that he knew OF no way in which he
could render assistance
OF course, the conditions in North Dakota are
extraordinary. no such weather having been ex-
perienced for years. In a stretch OF fourteen
miles on the main lire OF the Great Northern
fourteen locomotives are stalled and dead. and
there IS nothing probably so helpless as the
great inert mass presented by railway locomo-
tive. with its fuel exhausted and its steam pipes
frozen
The Interstate Commerce Commission. by
direction Of the President has twice telegrs phed
20 the presidents OF the Great Northern and the
Northern Pacific railways. urging that every
thing possible be done 20 relieve the situation,
and assurances have been given that the re-
quests Will be needed: but the situation re-
mains unchanged. thousands Of people are men
aced by the constant danger of freezing 20
death, and the railways seem powerless 20 re-
lieve the conditions.
The commission received the following dis
patch from President Elliott OF the Northern Pa
cihc Railway Company to-day:
Referring 10 my message Of January 20. re-
gret 70 say that relief trains, in spite OF all
have been able TO do, have not been able to get
Dy Carrlngton. Snow and storms have been
great that trains have been stuck, and we dam
aged snow plough in trying to get through the
heavy drifts Hope very much 10 get everything
through there not later than Thursday II is
simply a question whether man or the elements
North Dakota, making IT difficult 10 work upon
machinery Our people are doing everything
that can be done on this branch and others.
the White House 10 consult with the President
the situation, and he is a daily caller at the
Interstate Commerce Commission. Everything
possible 20 fix the blame for the car shortage
and the inadequscy OF rolling stock which has
precipitated this situation IS being done What
more can be done here is not clear but the con-
ditions seem 10 call for the exhaustion OF every
expedient TO afford relief TO people who are
undergoing the most painful suffering through
no fault OF their own.