Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-10
ON CAR SHORTAGE
COMPLAINTS Still Come to Inter-
state Commerce Commission.
FUEL FAMINE SOME PLACES
No Coal to Be Got and No Cars to
Bring It.
THE SITUATION NEEDS RELIEF
Condition Has Been Met in Some In
stances by Taking Coal From
Railroads.
THE SITUATION NEEDS RELIEF

Complaints as to car shortage anu inc
attendant fuel famine in the northwest
continue to accumulate at the interstate
commerce commission in spite of the fact
that all of the commissioners are now IN
the west The kilograms as received are
forwarded to Chairman Knapp, and every
effort is being made to relieve the situa-
ton.
The latest message received was TINS
morning dated from Hastings, n. D. IL
said: "Out of coal one month. People SUI
fering. Orders at Hunter, Finch coal Co.,
MINNEAPOLIS" 1t was signed c. F. Nor
berg 1t presumably meant that orders
had been placed in Minneapolis, but had
not been filled. This is the case every
where The people have the money to pay
for coal and in some cases placed orders
months ago. but cannot get the cars.
Another message from the town council
of Omemee n. D.. said: out of fuel. Moth
ing in sight Please relieve situation at
once"
Indian Territory and New Mexico.
There have been number of other COM
plants from all over the west. Indian ter
ritory and New Mexico have been suffering
as much as any other sections. one letter
from Broken Arrow I. T., to the commits
sion says that not only have orders Tor
fuel been delayed for over two months, but
suffering severely in not being able to get
out its produce. The town in question has
three elevators. all of which are full OF
corn, while there 5000 bushels on the
ground deteriorating rapidly from the
weather. The compliments say that they
would need two cars a day Tor eight DAYS
to clear up their grain. But that If the cars
are supplied there is no guarantee that
they would reach a shipping point IN any
reasonable time 1t is is lnstanced that
cars sent from Broken Arrow recently ar
10 CaIy Wit
almost two months in transit. The corn
started In good condition. but deteriorated
in transit. and cut five cents bushel
by the inspectors when 1t was sold. entail
ing a loss of S51 on each of three cars.
Another complaint from New Mexico is
from the Hughes Mercantile Company OF
Estansia, a little town half way between
Santa Fee and FL Paso. Here the Santa Fe
railroad actually Communicated four car
loads of coal that had arrived in the town.
1t was pointed out in this connection that
while the shortage never ought to have oc-
CURED, the railroad was more than follow
ing the law of self preservation in taking
the coal, as were the railroad stranded
there would be no coal nor anything else
hauled for the rest of the community.
The letter is rather grimly humorous, for
the Mercantile company states that oelns
out of coal and needing 1t, they drove up
TO the railroad station and took four
wagon loads of COAL paying for the same
by check at the rate that coal had been
quoted them by the railroad two months
before. The order for the coal had been
given at the time. but never filled.
The Santa Fe warned the Hughes com
pany that ''any further attempt TO take
any property would be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law" In commenting
on this the compliments write: I'VE pre-
sumo from this they mean coal, that being
the only property of theirs have any
use for But have served notice that
if the famine continues, and we need more
coal. we shall take it from the railroad
yards and tender the payment at the same
rate the coal has been quoted to us that
we ordered and never received
Due to Two Things.
Information received from the north
west indicates that the fuel famine there
is due chiefly 10 two things-territory
rabbng by the railroads and the break
ing down of locomotives in efforts to make
''ton-mile" records. Both the Great North
ern and the 500 have been devoting all
their energies during the past fall and
summer to pushing their lines into new
territory. The Great Northern has gone
over the line into Canada and laid out
new lines 10 every locality ii could reach.
The 500 has been pushing steadily west
ward. Both the roads have been using
every available car for construction work
and material has been transported with
entire disregard of the service to the peo-
pie along the existing lines. In some
localities there has not been an average
of a train week, and in some places on
the small lines there might not be train
d month.
Grain has been allowed to rot on the
ground because the railroads would furnish
no cars to transport il to the markets and
there has been fuel laid in for the win
ter because. though orders were placed for
coal months ago the railroads were using
their cars for through traffic and conStruc-
ton and would not fill the orders.
Added 10 this there has been the craze
for ton mile records. The railroads have
overloaded their engines, making them pull
trains far beyond their strength to get a
record for moving the greatest amount of
freight per train. The result is that much
OF the traction stock is crippled and in the
shops for repairs and the railroads have
learned to their cost that they can move
more freight by having lighter trains and
letting them travel further and faster.
Some of the members of the interstate
commerce commission are expected back TO
Washington tomorrow They have accumu-
lated mass Of testimony in their western
hearings. all of which will be put in shape
for transmission to Congress soon as
possible
The specific inquiry into the train wreck
at Terra Gotta Will be taken up on Mon
day.