The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-21

Would Prefer Utah Coal to
That of Wyoming, Be-
cause of Storage
Qualities,
"HE complainants III the coal rate
hearing before Special Examiner
J. s Burchmorc for the inter
state commerce commission. have
furnished grent mass of evidence 10
show the discrimination against their
product and in favor Of the mines
owned by the Denver & Rio Grande and
Union Pacific. Yesterday twelve wit
nesses were heard and as many more
will give their testimony today. The
hearing NAV be concluded tonight, but
il is possible tina: it will take part OF
Saturday.
great deal of the testimony was OF
the 'sditto' variety. and designed!
to show that the demand for Utah coal
was general all over the territory com
prised in the Idaho district. what Is
known as the Spokane district and In
Oregon. California and Nevada.
Discrimination Evidenced.
When the hearing adjourned yester'
day afternoon shortly before clock
n. a. Williams, superintendent OF the
Green River division of the Denver
& Rio Grandc. was on the stand and
had Just made an important admission
which is said to show that the Consoli-
dated Fuel company and the Castle
Valley Coal company had been dis.
crimnated against in the matter of
shipments in favor OF the Sunnyside
miEes who were shipping to the Step
toe smelter.
Among the witnesses yesterday was
W. S SmallwOod. traffic manager OF
the transportation committee OF the
chamber Of commerce of Portland, Ore,
who was sent here by his organization
to lend what aid he could to the COM
plainants. He said that the Portland
chamber of commerce had considered
the question of Utah coal and consid-
cred it an important one. Though no
direct request had as yet been made to
the railroads to induce them To furnish
n rate for the Utah article west Of
Huntington il had been discussed and
the chamber was taking an active In
terest in the case. The fuel question,
he said, was serious one In Oregon,
where little coal was mined and the
advent OF Utah coal would be wei
coined and rewarded by good market.
Chance for New Market,
rhe opening up Of central Oregon by
railroad would create new market
there in district that must use coal
and much Of the burning of wood was
fast dying out. From Huntington to
Portland he considered coal consuming
district and he saw no reason why Utah
coal could not enjoy very considerable
sale there 1t is considered, he said, by
the Portland chamber Of commerce that
Oregon requires n greater supply OF
coal and more places from which to Sc
cure it, As former railway man he
saw no reason why reasonable joint
rates should not be given between any
two points. On cross examination he
said much coal was stored in Portland
and he had understood that the Utah
product was well adapted to this.
]. S. Ramage. who represented the
Western Coal Dealers association OF
Spokane and the Spokane chamber of
commerce, gave much the same evil
dence AS to his territory. A coal
dealer himself, he felt sure there was
q great market in the Spokane dis
trict, or what is known as "The In
land Empire" and which embraces
western Washington. part of western
Oregon and the panhandle of Idaho,
Now il nearly all comes FROM the
Wyoming mines, and there was often
scarcity. He felt sure from exami.
nation that the Utah article was a
desirable fuel for the needs of the To-
chlity. that il contained little moisture
and would store well. Other coals in
competition need quick sale, and in
his opinion would not maintain their
weights in the hot season. He prophc
sled that if fair rates permitted the
Utah companies to enter the territory
$4,000 to $4,000 tons would be mar.
keted therein the first year.
Cumulative Evidence.
F.. NJ. Hamilton. coal salesman OF
Seattle. said he had been sent dowr
by his firm to give evidence He also
believed there was great market In
eastern Washington and northern
Idaho. There was a considerable short
age III the supply there at yariou,
times, and anything that would as
sist In overcoming this would b,
heartily welcomed He did not know
of any formal request to the railroad.
for rates 10 the north for Utah coal
but said the matter had been discussed
by dealers.
A. D. Looney, a coal dealer from
Payette. Ida. said that his firm hac
made formal applications for rates
equal TO those enjoyed by Wyomin.
coal He produced letters from j. A
Reeves, general freight agent of th,
Oregon Short Line, and s. V. Derrah
assistant general freight agent Of th
Denver & Rio Grande, refusing to Civ
these rates to the Utah product, .ant
giving their reasons. Mr.. Loonev toll
of shortages of coal at Payette and at
tempts to remedy it
Nelson Howff. a coal dealer of Idah
Falls. told Of similar shortages in hi
locality, and said that Utah coal, wbic
would store better. would have n goo
market and would be welcomed
Judge billiard. counsel for the Hal
riulan lines, attempted to bring ou
that some of tine shortages wer
brought about by the fact that th
dealers were not educated up 10 tn
storing OF coal in the summer agnins