The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-30
BANCROFT ON
COAL SITUATION
General Manager of the Short
Line Replies to COmmunlca-
ton of Boise CounCiImen.
SEES NO CAUSE FOR ALARM
RAILROAD DOING ALL 1T POS
SIBLY CAN.
SEES NO CAUSE FOR ALARM
Especial to The Herald.)

Especial to The Herald)
Boise. Idaho. Aug. Efficiently the
city council here sent Councilman Carl
son and NJ. Alexander, former mayor.
TO Salt Lake to investigate and report In
the coal situation. Their report was pub
hshed here on August Il A communica-
ton has been received by Mayor Haines
from General Manager Bancroft of the
oregon Short Line which is in the nature
or a reply to statements contained in the
committees report. This reply is not
written in q spirit of antagonism- On the
contrary, Mr.. Bancroft thanks the com
mittee, and the body it represented for
their cooperation and adds: when these
difficulties arise the combined wisdom
OF all is required and, with producers
and consumers, the public and the
riers. all working together in a spirit of
harmony and mutual helpfuness, rather
tnan embarrassing each others efforts
with criticism, often unfair because based
on information more or less incomplete,
nave no fear, nor, think. have you,
of a final satisfactory solution of our
trOublesS' These words reflect the spirit
In which the reply is made.
Railroads and Distribution.
Perhaps the most important portion of
Mr.. Bancrofts communication deals
with the subject of coal distribution and
the influence of railroads in connection
Herewith The Boise committee. while
conceding that the railroad company
owned no mines and was not a producer
of coal. pointed out that the railroad
might exercise a predominating influence
on the distribution of coal not by force,
but simply by reason of the relationship
that exists between the producer and the
carrier The committee also admitted
that the railroad company had urged the
mine owners to hasten Shipments to
threatened points and that the Short
Line had frequently diverted its own coal
even to the extent of almost Gripping Sc
riously its service, in order to relieve dis
tress and to prevent disaster as In the
case of wheat threshing, the operation
of creameries and OF city water plants
etc, etc. Touching on these matters, Mr.
Bancroft says:
Can Go No Further.
These things we have done and must
continue to do as the situation warrants,
Yet ii was stated to your committee, and
] state to you, that further than that
we cannot 60 Ultimately the producers
of coal will direct its distribution. They
have shown no disposition. within our
knowledge. TO be anything but fair to all;
but il was pointed out to the commit
tee that are transporters. not pro-
ducers, of coal and that a car of that
commodity generally speaking, like any
other, will necessarily be hauled to tie
destination to which 1t is billed by the
shipper. Therefore, ii was further ex-
I planned to the committee, quite properly,
l feel you will agree. that while glad to
cooperate and lend our influence in the
direction of any improvement in methods
which might be suggested, still our
sphere of action has reasonable and nee
essary limits, and the discussion of any
improved plan of coal distribution of
wider scope than that should be had with
the coal producers and shippers rather
than with us
Utah Mines insufficient.
In response TO the claim of the commit
tee that coal for Idaho could be secured
along the lire of the Denver & Rio
Grande in Utah if it were not for the lack
of a through rate, which it attributed to
the jealOusies OF two competing lines, "
Mr.. Bancroft says that II. G. Williams
general manager Of the Utah Fuel COM
pany had advised him Aug. %, by letter
a copy OF which was attached to Mr.. Ban
crofts communication, that his com
pany's mines nave not been able for a
long period and are not able now to pro-
duce sufficient coal for the requirements
of their local territory, and, regardless Of
ments to Idaho" Mr.. Bancroft also re-
lates the experiences of a committee from
Weiser Idaho, which visited Salt Lake
in quest of coal from the mines along the
Denver & Rio Grande railroad In a COM
munication written after they had return
ed home they stated with relation to their
inquiries as to coal from the sources
PRONE of a single ton of coal regardless
of eitser freight rates or the price asked
for the coal at the mines.
offered Through Rate.
Proceeding, Mr. Bancroft says that the
Short Line had repeatedly offered to put
in a through rate on coal originating in
Denver & Rio Grande territory, and on a
more liberal basis than now exists from
the Rock Springs mines with the Union
Pacific connections. The Denver & Rio
Graade had refused, and still refuses, to
join in a through rate. NOTWITHSTANDING
the attitude Of that road, Mr.. Bancroft
states, the Oregon Short Line traffic de
partment was arranging 20 publish, eff
tectiN c as soon as il can legally be done,
a proportional rate on coal originating on
the Denver & Rio Grande railroad Is
cents ton lower from Ogden than would
apply from mines on the Oregon Short
Line Or the Union Pacific. This will not
produce the same through rate as from
the other mines" SAYS Mr. Bancroft, for
the full local rate of the Denver & Rio
Grande up to ogden must be paid. We
have no faith that any coal will be moved
on this or any other tariff. but the rate
will be published as an evidence of this
ccmpany's desire to promote such move
ment-"
Corporations Crippled.
Taking up the committees assertion
that no railroad. smeiter, sugar factory or
other large corporation, had suffered or
was likely to suffer. from a coal shortage
Mr.. Bancroft states that last winter the
Short Line had on hand on several occn-
sions less than twenty-four hours sup
ply-a highly dangerous situation for the
railroad and for the people il served
SHELTERS. sugar factories and similar in
situations had suffered because Of fuel
Continued on Page 2.