The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1912-04-27
Sensational Statement of
Conditions In Eureka
Which Are Shown to Be Greatly Exaggerated, AS All
Food and Supply Conditions Have So Far Been Met,
Although the Surplus Has Not Been Large

The following sensational statements
Of food and other supply conditions in
Eureka. taken from the San Francisco
Examiner of April 90, are highly exag.
gerated, and many of them are utterly
without foundation. While the stock
of provisions and other supplies have
been almost exhausted at times during
the past month IN of the con-
tinued stormy weather making the
wagon roads almost impossible and
causing a complete tie-up of all the big
freighting outfits, no one in the COM
munity has ever been forced to 60 with
out the real necessities Of life. One Of
the Examiners sensational writer's Sc
cured possession Of soma information
contained in the dispatches sent to the
railway officials and Nevada Railroad
Commission, and the following story is
the result Of his work:
The Examiner Story
With enough provisions and fuel to
sustain them for six months, less than
100 miles away, 1000 men. women and
children In the town of Eureka. Nevada,
last night suffered the pangs of hunger
and sent out an appeal for aid.
Their distress is attributable to an in
flexible provision Of the Interstate com.
merce laws. which Is also part of the
laws Of Nevada.
Eureka's aggravating ~predicament is
a unique one in the history of railroad
ing and was never reckoned on in the
preparing of the Interstate Commerce
Act.
The town is connected by rail with
Palisade, eighty-four miles away,
through which the lines Of the Southern
Pacific and the Western Pacific com.
panies extend. Two years ago the Eu.
reka and Palisade road. which is con-
trolled by Millionaire George Whittell
Of this city, was washed away by a
serious flood. The contract for its re-
construction was awarded to Chadwick
and Sykes of this city, who are rapidly
completing their work.
No Tariff Is Filed
Under the provisions of the contract
between Whittell and Chadwick g.
Sykes the road passes from the control
of Whittell to the contractors until such
time as they are ready to turn it over TO
its owner for operation.
Under the Interstate Commerce Act
and the laws of Nevada a railroad is
not permitted to operate for freight
carrying purposes until it bias filed q
tariff with the respective commissions
and their approval has been obtained.
A week ago Chadwick and Sykes in
formally notified the commissions that
they expected to file a tariff on May 9.
At the time of notification Eureka's
distress was not foreseeu. Later. when
the town began to realize its approach
ing situation, it called the attention OF
George Whittell to the matter, and he
in the temporary absence of authority,
referred the matter to Chad wick and
Sykes, who in turn appealed to the Rail-
road Commission Of Nevada.
The latter body, however. not full APP
pr~eciating the situation, replied that
May 9. the date originally fixed by the
| contractors for filing a freight tariff.
would be early enough to take up the
matter.
Since then hunger has taken a firm
hold on the isolated people Of Eureka.
II has gone farther by forcing the mines
in the adjacent county to limit the drafts
| on their commissary stores.
Snow Too Deep for Teams
At any other time the town might
have met the emergency by freighting
| provisions and fuel from Palisade by
| team, but unfortunately recent SHOWS
have made the roads absolutely impass.
able.
The urgency of immediate action
was made apparent last night in a tele-
gram from Eureka 20 George Whittell.
In part the message read:
Eureka is practically out of flour, sugar
and feed. There is no coal oil or gasoline
in the town. Its general merchandise is
at a very low ebb, with $4,000 pounds of
necessary merchandise lying in the South
ern Pacific freight depot at Palisade.
Assistance is urgent.
Whittell turned this dispatch over to
| Chadwick g. Sykes after wiring Eureka
that be keenly appreciated the situation
and was ready to do anything In his
power to help the town.
The following dispatch was then sent
by Chadwick g Sykes TO the State Rail
road Commission of Nevada at Carson