The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-20
|COALCARS ARE NOT
MOVED EVEN AFTER
THEY ARE LOADED
Martinsburg Had Trouble
to Get Fuel During Late
Freeze.
1000 CARS STALLED
Fairmont District Coal AS
ISOLATION Will Meet
This Evening.
$4,000 CARS STALLED.

The coal shortage may effect West
Virginia more than the majority of the
people expected. Martinsburg has had
an experience with coal shortage
which aroused that community and a
real famine faced that city last Satur-
day and Sunday.
The situation in Martinsburg was SO
serious that County Fuel Administra-
tor Henshaw threatened to comman-
deer coal passing through Martinsburg
or rather thirty cars that were lying
on side tracks at Cumbo. right near
Martinsburg. Mr.. Henshaw called up
81. Walter Barnes, state fuel admins
traitor, who refused his approval to
such action and later the county coal
committee took 1t up with the national
fuel administration at Washington
bringing wire from F. L. Snead, VINO
emphatically declared:
II cannot authorize County Fuel Adj
ministrator Henshaw to commander
coal passing through Martinsburg. Adj
wise me Of names and addresses OF the
previous coal supply Of the dealers Of
your city"
The answer to this last part of this
message further complicated matters
as the city had been using anthracite
coal largely, purchased out Of the state
ard had gotten all its soft coal from
Virginia through Baltimore dealers,
excepting that the city Of Martinsburg
was provided with coal by the Consoli-
dation company Of Fairmont.
Max won Schlegell, publisher of the
Martinsburg Journal, with stroke of
enterprise, got into the deal and wired
Mr.. Snead, of the National Fuel Admin
istration and the Consolidation here.
The Consolidation had already as
gsured Mr.. Snead that 1t would take care
of the immediate future OF Martins
; burg.
r. w. Stewart, a coal dealer Of Mar
tinsburg, got into the matter Monday
in more practical way. going to Cum.
& bertrand and Keyser and finding a car
OF coal consigned to his firm at the
{ former place behind fourteen cars and
another at Keyser behind forty-nine
either cars. He was told that the block
ade at the two points included over
1000 cars. At first Mr.. Stewart feared
that there was no chance to get his
cars but he tried the railroad superin-
3tendent, explaining the situation, and
the Cumberland car reached Martins
burg Monday night and the Keyser car
Tuesday morning.
Mayor Letter, of Martinsburg, called
j. Walter Barnes, state fuel admins.
traitor, Monday night, and the Martins.
burg journal tells that he told Mr..
Z Barnes sin plain language that the sit
nation was critical" Mr.. Barnes called
Martinsburg later and conveyed the
same inforlation that had reached
there from Mr.. Snead.
The movement of coal is still the
great problem occupying the attention
OF railroad men and of coal men. who
can only advise and suggest. having no
real authority. The blockades are be-
lieved to have been pretty well cleared
cut in the Fairmont.C larksburg region
but the movement of coal remains a
problem. 1t would have been an easy
matter to relieve Martinsburg had
mines had cars. E. G. Smith. of Yves
ton. who is manager of the Groves
Greek Coal company on the Coal and
Coke. is in Fairmont today, accom-.
panied by Lloyd Rinehart, and tells OF
his company loading car Saturday
which was still standing on the siding
yesterday. T. E. Boggess. assistant
secretary Of the Central West Virginia
Coal Operators Association. has been
getting data on such delay in West vir-
pinfa vards for some tina
Coal Notes.
DIR. Lawson, secretary OF the Cen.
trail West Virginia Coal Operators AS
ISOLATION, Is IN Washington.
Frederick Edward Saward. editor of
The Coal Trade Journal, is dead.
"A meeting Of the Fairmont District
Coal Association Is called for this eren.
ing at the office Of Trevey Nutter, at
IS o'clock. All team track coal opera.
/; tors are asked to be In attendance.