The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-09-22
(eY coNoo)

the regional distribution Of cars to
mines on the Baltimore and Ohio
system from August Is last year to
September 7 this year, the Monongah
division is shown to be 1872 short
while the Pittsburgh division has an
average of 1214.9, the Cumberland
an average OF zoos and the Ohio river
an average Of S57.9.
This condition has existed righ:
along. During the early summer when
car conditions in this region were al
most as bad as they are now and the
local operators were making almost
frantic appeals to the road, the Inter.
state Commerce Commission and even
the committee on coal production of
the Advisory Council of National De-
Tense the average of the Pittsburgh
division was permitted to increase at
almost the same ratio that the shor:..
age on the Monongah division grew.
The charge that this was condition
deliberately created and persisteutIy
maintained in spite of all complaints
was made it never has been squarely
denied by the officers OF the B. & o..
There is much in the kilograms and
letters on file at the office Of the Can.
trail West Virginia operators associa.
ton bearing on this subject of coal
distribution that would prove of in
terest to business men generally. The
fight for better car supply this year
began early in May. On the very first
day Of June Secretary Lawson sent
long telegram to Interstate Commerce
Commissioner McChord in which,
among other things, he said: Since
the first of the year the percentage of
the open top cars applicable to per.
centage that has been furnished mines
in this region has gradually fallen on
each period until we have reached ths
point where SpatienCe ceases to be a
virtue From that day right down to
yesterday the fight has been kept I'D.
There is scarcely week that is lot
represented in the files by a protest
Of some sort either to the road or 10
some authority. And always there ars
replies wromising better conditions
June ~ when the car supply was down
to fifteen percent Mr.. Lawson wired
+. ). Peabody OF the National Defense
Councils Coal production committee
asking that he fix time when a CON.
mittee of operators could go to Wash.
lngton and lay the matter before him.
That trip was made and at the time
the operators made the rounds and
visited the car service office of the
American Railway Association ana
the ohice Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, and one OF the results of
that visit was that when Secretary
lawson got back here he wrote TO
George B. McGinty, chief clerk Of ths
commission a letter in which he gave
comparative statement Of the ear
supplies of the Monongah and Pitts.
burgh division and made the dar
charge that favoritism was being
shown. This letter was dated July
.. WY
Then ensues correspondence which
shows that various attaches of the
commission we're laboring with the 3.
Il 0. regarding the situation. August
Z Lawson reappears with a letter 10
the commission in which he, after call.
ing attention to the repeated promises
of better treatment for the operators
on the Monongah division, presents
figures which show that in reality The
situation is growing worse. On the
last day of August the commission re.
piled enclosing letter from General
Superintendent Kearney, dated August
10. In his letter Kearney discussed
at some length the distribution of
cars on his road and said that there
would have been a reduction in thu
Monongah division shortage but for
the fact that some derailments on the
Mountain division resulted in cars in.
tended for the Monongah division go
ing to other divisions. That provoked
the following reply from Lawson da-
ted September 4:
Gentlemen: have yours Of the 81
ultimo enclosing copy OF letter dated
August IL signed by s. r. Kearncy
relative to my complaint in regard to
the distribution Of open top cars to
the Monongah Division on the Bait.
more & Ohio Railroad.
In taking this matter up with the