New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-08-15
COAL PROBLEM IS
LOOKING BRIGHTER
UNITED STATES CONTROL OF
SHIPMENTS MAY HELP OUT
NORTHWEST.
MANY MINES WORK PART TIME
WHILE FAR AWAY POINTS
CRY FOR FUEL.

The granting of authority to the
United States government to direct coal
shipments to lake ports, to pass on
priority of car loading, and to prohibit
present shipments from the mines to
nearby points that can be reached by
all rail shipments in winter, is declared
to be the solution of the present threaten
ing coal situation in the northwest. This
Isis the word brought from Washington
the first of the week by Judge ]. F. Nc
Gee of Minneapolis, member Of the
Minnesota Public Safety cen mission.
Judge MCGEE had been in the national
ca pital for the past two weeks, investi-
eating the situation, with view to
bringing about relief that will insure
to this part of the country the necessary
amount of fuel for the coming winter.
Lack of Cars at Fault.
He says that from a personal investiga-
ton it was learned that the eastern
mines are handicapped by the lack Of
cars and that thousands of cars are
stalled on tracks at lake ports, thru poor
judgment in distribution.
president Wilson now has the au-.
thority to take hand in the coal situa-
ton under the bill passed by congress
providing for preferential shipments, "
said Judge MCGEE. "He is empowered
to direct such traffic as may be es-
sential to the national defense and the
appointment of some person or body to
direct this work can be expected daily
Then shipments of coal from the mines
to lake ports can be properly regulated
and preference given shipments to parts
of the country, notably the northwest,
that are not reached by all rail shipments
in winter.
Faulty System Blamed. Il
"Of the nine ports on Lake Erie from
which coal is shipped for the northwest,
only two are receiving coal in large
quantities, he said. '.Sandusky and
Toledo, Ohio, both of which have scant
trackage and storage facilities, are over
run with coal, while at Cleveland, with
adequate facilities, there are four big
: vessel loading machines idle. Both
Sandusky and Toledo are served by
single track switching facilities and there
are at times 100000 coal cars stalled on
Y the tracks. At the same time, mines /
visited are operating half time, and less
). on some days, fer lack of cars. Com
=. plant is also made by the railroad men
that it is impossible to get coal cars in
the northwest back to the mines. This
. fact, with lack of proper cooperation
!. in the past months by vessel men is
!. responsible for a present insufficient coal
: shipment to the northwest. Millions
of tons of coal are being mined and there
: is no shortage in production" fasp
Railroad officials, members Of the ex-
ecutive committee of the special COM
mittee on national defense, are doing
everything in their power to effect a
o solution of the coal situation, according
o to Judge MCGEE.
Railroads Could Help.
!, eff the railroad men had the authority
: to pass on priority of car loading at the
mines there would be no reason for worry
: in the northwest. There is one thing,
however, that makes the preferential
loading system difficult and that is that
there is no sense in ordering mine to
ship every other car loaded to the north
west when they have no orders from
our territory. Investigation seems to
show that dealers in the northwest
have not been buying coal. A repre-:
sentative of the Minneapolis Civic and
Commerce association will reach Wash.
. ington tomorrow with detailed informa
ton on this subject
! Judge MCGEE said he expected thai
| whoever was appointed by the president
4 to regulate coal shipments would inme
diately order that no cars be given mines
for shipping to nearby storage point
y that could be reached by all rail ship
ment in winter.
I Provisions of Newlands Law.
II The provision of the Newlands amend
4 ment, as passed by congress providin
4 for preferential shipments, is as follows
4 ''That during the continuance of tt
4 war in which the United States is no
u engaged the president is authorized,
4 he finds it necessary for the nation
s defense and security, to direct tn
u commodities as, in his judgment, n1s
i be essential to the national defense al
i security, shall have preference or priori
i in transportation by any &C mmon CARR
by railroad, water, or otherwise. I
may give these directions at and for SUI
times as he may determine, and nj
modify, change, suspend, or annul thel
and for or thru such person or persons