The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-18
GOAL OPERATORS
ARE APPEALING
10CONGRESSMEN
Committee Was Appointed
at Meeting Held Here
Last Week.
BROOKS FLEMING IS HEAD
Other Members are Lee San
derson, Philippi, and E.
Drennen, Elkins.
BROOKS Fleming IS HEAD

The committee named by the Cen.
trial West Virginia Coal Operators As
4 sociation at its meeting held here last
Friday to carry out certain recommen.
dations OF Jere H. Wheelwright. presi-
dent, and George T. Watson, vice pres
ident Of the Consolidation Coal com.
pany. which came in reply to tele-
graphic request OF the association
framed while the body was in session.
has Its work well in hand. The COM
mittee, which consists of A. Brooks
Eleming, Jr., Lee cambridge. OF Philip
(. pi, and 2. Drennep,. Of Elkins, met i'm
nediately after the adjournment of the
main body, has met since and this
morning telephone conversations COM
pleted preliminarieu and permitted
the work to start in earnest.
The suggestion Of Messrs. Wheel
wright and Watson was that the asso-
citation take up the matter OF car short.
age with United States Senators and
rongressmentr representing West Vir-,
gfnia and with. the governor Of the
state. Mr.. Wheelwright not only
made such a suggestion to the associa..
ten hut himself wrote a letter which
ltHn ipoDH eSottttto tu6 CuIbou 0iutSo
senators, the congressrnen represent
ing West Virginia, ! Governor 5ofin <
GofnWeli and the fuel administrators
OF the states IN which the Consolida-
tion has operations. which Is pre-
stunned to cover the territory OF the ac.
iirities OF coal operators belonging to
the Central West Virginia Coal oper.
ators' Association.
During the meeting OF the organiza-
lion last Friday 1t was suggested that
a telegram be sent to George T. Wat
son, who was then in Baltimore, ask
ing himif he could give the association
any Information regarding the trans;
portation situation. His reply came
and was to the effect that Mr. Wheel
wright and others were working on the
matter with DR.. Garfield and the au-
fhorities- at Washington IN hopes of Sc.
curing relief but that without results
TO date: that the railroad situation
looked very unfavorahle' from an opera.
tors standpoint. MIR. Watson urged
that the association take up the mat.
Ter with United States senators, con-
gressmen and the governor, make
known the facts to these men and urge
Them to direct their efforts toward Sc
curing relief The association viewed
the matter favorably and on motion
&C II. Jenkins, the president, appointed
the committee.
From the information available to
the public there seems 20 be no ques-
ton but what the unfortunate and de-
plorable conditions existing at pres
aaent In the coal trade are due. to the
lack OF transportation facilitieS and 1t
Is admitted by all that the coal oper.
ntors have done all In their power to-
! produce coal; that their hands are tied
by the car shortage.
" n Producer and consumer must de.
pend upon the railroads to carry the
coal from the mines to the points Of
consumption" observed A. Brooks
Fleming, Jr., chairman OF this special
committee of the Central West Vir.
ginia Coal Operators Association.
The coal operator can bring coal to
the mouth Of the mines but that does
no good unless there are empty rail.
sTqad cars standing near the tipple into
which the coal can be dumped"
The construction of storage; bins
has been considered but the concensus
Of opinion Of Fairmont. Clarksburs 70
gion coal operators is that there is no
epecial advantage in such a course,
serguing that the place to store coal is
- the points where 1t will be CON.
isumed.
The primary cause Of the inability
Of mine operators to produce the
nmount OF coal that the country rel
gqires." continued Mr.. Fleming, as
the hack Of railroad cars. There is any
amount OF coal unmined in, this region
md there are facilities for mining a
great Quantity If there were railroad
cars available. Coal mines, upon which
na1nition factories, powder plants. shin
building plants and the like are depend.
aent have failed to operate day after
DAY because Of the lack OF cars. These
facts are cited" MI, Fleming empha.
sized, mot in condemnation Of the rail. |
roads hut simply in explanation Of the
causes for the shortage Of fuel"
Instead Of taking such an attituded
Mr. Fleming pointed out that the coal
operators haev earnestly sought 10 as. |
sist the railroads by taking practical
steps to assist them in the transpor.
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