Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-07-20
FRANK ~ COODFNG MAKES
REPORT ON coal SITUATION

vestigate che coal situation. has t.
sued the following statement, after
making a thorough Investigation of
the conditions in the Utah and Wy
omlnE coal fields,
TO the Governor apd the people OF
Idaho:
have the honor 20 report 10 you
the findings Of our recent investi-
CATION OF the new conditions that
have been forced upon the coal sit
uation BY the breaking % the Nam
moth Reservoir and the destruction
og several miles Of track on the ID,
& II. G., over which all the coal
from che Utah fields must pass for
Idaho points.
AZ soon as the washout occurred
on the Rio Grande, MIR. Hansen. Sec
( rotary OF the Council OF Defense for
| Idaho, wired me TO come to Salt
Lake and assist in this investlga-
tion.
regret exceedingly to- have 60 re-
port TO you that the destruction OF
/ the Rio Grande tracks has brought
about a very serious complication Ia
the coal situation for Idaho. For
more than two weeks the coal mines
of Utah have been idle. However, /
am glad 20 advise yen that on the
nth OF July all the mines In Utah
on the ID. e II. c.. except those Ia
the Scofield district resumed opera
lions.
The following telegram from MIR,
j II. l.. Clarity, assistant general man
ager Of the d. 4 r. g.. will give you
authentic information III regard "a
the serious condition that exists at
) the present time.
, Salt Lake. Utah. July IL, 1877,
~. II. Gooding.
Geealng. Idaho.
All mines except those In SEQ
field District commenced work
yesterday and hope to work
them about fifty 90 sixty por
III cent normal capacity. but do
II not expect TO reach maximum
Fl for &C least three or four weeks,
!, (Signed) y, 4. CLARITY.
During all this time IL must b.
borne I'm mind that the railroads AMI
!. consumers everywhere have been va
ii ing up the supply OF coal. Mr.. Stew
enson, a member OF our council. ad
vises me that Il now looks as IL tn
Oregon Short Line would he forces
= into the winter without . ton O
storage coal.
The whole situation is 80 seriou
, that / feel Ii la imperative that thi
3 communication BE- given az muc
r publicity as possible With that !
view, l am sending this report 20 Oh
. press OF the state and asking thef
Il 70 give II az favorable notice as POI
h sible. so that the people may be at
II vised Of the true conditions,
N~.tg 4ssaf IAN "A 4
y tiong TO make:---
Il The people Of Idaho wherever Il
possible should provide wood X
"A their winter use.
N All threshing machines that al
N now using coal should be fitted .
4. with straw burners.
There should be q uemnud on q
part OF the public In every c0mmul
= Ity for economy In the use OF COS
and every owner OF a thre@hlng mi
chine should be requested TO lnsta
straw burners.
~ There remains but one hope 10 r
- lleve what threatens 90 be- q neriol
coal famine and that Is through q
an wyoming coal fields.
The following telegram from r.
sr 0'Brlen, general sales agent Of Il
- KemmereF Coal Company. in rep
TO my inquiry, tells the story Of q
: need of men IN the Wyoming co
an mines, and the prices paid for labo
~ Salt Lake. Utah. July IL. 1917.
a. r. r. Gooding.
"a Gooding. Idaho.
81 Your wire date, miners are
~ paid sixty-four and slxty-nlne
X cents per ton. depending upon
IA local conditions under which
A. they work. OutAide laborara
"a three dollars and four cents per
.re day, leaders, track layers, tim
- bermen, drivers. four dollars
M and two cents per day inside la
- Dor, not classified, three dollars
- and elghty-eight cents per day.
We could use two hundred fifty
a. additional miners and estimate
80 that at least one thousand Rddi-
- tional men could be given work
I'm the southern Wyoming fields
IA Miners and leaders are what We
~ need most, but number Of 9th
er underground men could b
used. IL this does not give YoI
- the information desired. kindly
~ let me hear from you.
- fSigned1 r. ]. OsBHIEN
"a am publishing this telegr
-. with the hope that IL may come
the notice of those who are look
for this class OF work. and that u
viii proceed at once TO the Wy
Al ing coal fields.
There is no longer any question
car shortage. so that II the Wyom
1s6 coal mines could be furnished Y
> sufficient labor, it would becom
mighty factor IN relieving what
iieYe 20 be q serious condition
Z Idaho.
Too much credit cannot be ri
Mr.. Joseph Hansen. Secretary Of
Council for his efficient work W
20 in salt Lake. Through arranEem'
= made there by your COMMITTEES
adg- increased tonnage into Idaho
very gratifying. showing - iner'
up 10 the time Of the waghout,
nearly three hundred per cent (
the same period IN 1915.
Mr.. Hansen In now familiar
- the work II Utah, and II viii
aerioue mistake IL he Ii not ralia