The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-31
Railroads Are Prepared for the
Coming Strike.
Santa Fe Has 100000 Tons on
Hand.
OTHERS ARE SUPPLIED
Stored at Various Points Along
the Lines.
Rock Island Installing Oll
Burners in Locomotives.

That the strike of the miners Wnlcn
sviu commence at 6 o'clock tonight VIII
have but little effect upon the rali-
roads of Kansas, is the general opln-
ION of officials here.All the roads Wnlcn
converge in Topeka are well suppheo
with coal according to the statements
of the officials, and have enough Oh
hand to last for a long time aheao'
Consequently there is but little lear
over the strike from railroad sources
The present strike will not nave the
same effect as a strike which has hot
been under consideration for long
time 1t has been several months since
the miners took their first steps Ior
calling a strike and the roads nave hao
a great deal of time to prepare ror tne
strike. Early last fall there was a
good deal of strike talk and the ran
roads fearing the present coIlullloii
took the hint and now have vast quan-
titles of coal stored all over their sSs-
TENS.
Santa Fe Well Supplied.
At the Santa Fe today it was sta,
ted that at the present time Ile to
has over 200, 900 tons OF coal STOREY q.
the different division points an0 siie theiT
suff1cient to last indefinitely. All lnelr
canacity for storage is taxed TO the
maximum and it has been found nee
essary in many instances TO slinply
set out the cars containing coal ed "a
sidines and leave them unprotected
There is a large number OF cars stana- +
ing in the local yards. The same is
true in Emporia, Newton, ArkanSaS
CITY and other division points
The same conditions are reported on
the Rock Island road. In the lower
SToneka wards there are long strings
of cars filled to their capaclty WIN
coal At Herington. Caldwell. wen
ita and many other ROCK 1slanu points
there is plenty OF coal
The Union Pacific also has a large
tonnage of coal stored mere ana al
function City. The Missouri Paclnc mas
a large amount at Wichita and Atenl-
SON but has none to speak or IN To-
T,aka The Missouri Pacific OFFICIALS
state that the strike will not hurt them
In the least. -
The strike which will commence at
six O'Clock tonight will extend over
western Pennsylvania, Ohlo' MlssouIi'
Iowa. Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas
Texas. Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
West Virginia and Kentucky. In fact
every available source of supply east
of the Rocky Mountains Will pe afIect-
ed. The Colorado miners, however, are
NOT connected with the same organ1za-
ton and will not quit even in SYM
pathetic strike with the other miners
1This fact affords the railroads great
deal of encouragement as all the roaos
which converge here have terminals IN
Colorado which connect with the min
Ine centers and should their present
supply of coal prove inefficient they
can doubtless secure considerable coal
from the Colorado mines
Rock Island Uses Oil.
Anticipating the present trouble the
Rock Island road has resorted TO an
fnssIzfeds scheme to Withstand pro-
longed strike on the part of the
-,,;rars oil burning engines are be-
ing Installed in service on the Kansas
and Oklahoma divisions of this road
It is intended that not later than the
first Of May all road and yard engines
on the Rock Island between Herring
ton. Kan and Chickasha, Okla, Will
be equipped for burning OIL as 1uei'
This will place oil burning yard en-
zines in service at Wichita, Caldwell
and Ell Reno.
This innovation will extend all over
the southwest district later, it IS
thought The use of oil burners not
only would do away with trouble from
lack of coal but is saving of con-
siderable expense in caring for en-
gines at terminals.
Following the transformation of
their engines into oil burners, the
Rock Island is planning to eliminate
the coaling stations at W1ch1ta ana
Caldwell. while at other points the
coaling stations will be maintained for
engines on cross lines. In the place
of {he coal stations the road will con-
str1ct 500-barrel storage tanks for
residuurn at the various division points.
The Rock Island VIII purchase OIL
from the refinery OF the standard on
company at Neodesha.
The substitution of oil burners as
q means of offsetting the coal short
ooa is also being undertaken by SER
eral other Kansas roads.