Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-09
COAL TRAINS BEFORE MAIL
Northwestern Issues Orders TO Give
Fuel Preference Over ALI.
SOUTH DAKOTA is SUFFERING
People of some Towns Resort 10 Cut
ting Wood Along the Streams
and Hauling IL to
Town.
CFrom a staff Correspondent.

- ARhA u $500
DIES MONIES, Jan. s~.-(Special Tele-
gram.)-The state Railroad commission
this evening rereived word that on prac-
tically every railroad in Iowa the freight
trains are running and coal is being hauled.
The most seriously crippled was the Mil
waukee, which is now delivering coal at
many stations where needed. Several train
loads came to Des Moines from outside
points.
Carroll Wright, attorney for the Rock
Island railroad, reported to the railroad
commission yesterday that the Rock ISL
and company has not conflscated any coal
for commercial uses, but, on the contrary,
gave TO the State university at Iowa City
one carload of its own coal to help in keep
ing the university open. He states hat
the situation in Iowa Is not any different
this year than in other years, since II Is
the habit Of the dealers in small towns
to not lay in a supply Of coal for the
winter.
There was fear here that the public
schools would nave to close, but this fear
soon passed away, for the dealers notified
the school board they would supply the
coal. The street railway company did not
have enough coal to last throughout the
day, but got some from the Wabash The
situation seems all the more remarkable,
since the mines in Des Moines or within a
few miles Of the city are supplying nearly
1000, 900 tons a year to the fuel stock of
the state.
BOONE, Ia, Jan. S.-(Special Telegram.)
The Northwestern Railroad company has
issued orders to all train crews to give
preference to coal trains over passenger,
mail or express trains. Officials are bend
ing every effort to move coal through Iowa
TO aid the famine districts. Passenger and
mail trains have been. held up at various
stations In the state to allow coal trains
to pass and the company is supplying a
number of towns with coal from it's own
supply. The officials assert not a single
car has been confiscated by this company,
as reports indicate other roads in the state
have done.
Dakota Towns Are Suffering.
MITCHELL, S. D.. Jan. s.-(specia
Telegram "A serious condition faces the
people who are living in the towns west
of the Missouri river, on the Milwaukee
road. Telephone communication was had
this morning with eight towns with ref
erence to the fuel question and the situa-
ton is very bad, except in three cases.
At Oacoma there is 40 coal whatever and
the people have resorted to hauling wood
from the timber along the river with
which to keep warm. Chamberlain re-
ports that coal is almost entirely gone.
Reliance is more fortunate and has
enough fuel to last a month. Belvidere
reports having seventy-five tons on hand
Draper Is fast running short, with no
coal in sight. Musdo has enough coal to
last three or four days, but mas no pros
poets Of any more coming. Vivian is al
most out, While at Kennebec there is q
good supply with two cars of coal on the
track that arrived yesterday. Kadoka re-
ports having plenty of fuel. Dakota Yves
leyan university expected to close dowr
today on account of coal shortage, but
two cars came in last night and lifted the
embarrassing conditions. The Milwaukee
company is now able to handle a little
more coal each day. This me<ping tht
Thermometer registered II degrees below
zero.