The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-03-07
R. R. MEN BEHIND
PROJECT TO CLOSE
THE SMALL MINES
it Is a Motive Power Con-
seryation Stunt En-
tirely.
AND IT WOULD NOT HELP
Banks Make Reply to Direc-
AND IT WOULD hot HELP
Banks Make Reply to Direc-
stor General McAdoo's
Letter.

9bere are many different plans to
Rcmedy the transportation proo'snlS
which now confront ". G. McAo9o'
general director OF railroads. ana one
of these is to give the cars 70 iatE
coal operations and cut out the snait
mines. This suggestion originator
With railroad men and is benz put -
strongly before the powers that are
gathered ct N'ashingtoc Tor tcnorro"
conference as it can be.
The argument is that a tncFe Is
only a emitted amount OF motive power
It is wisdom to conserve H. . ms
End it is advised that the cars u 81
en- to large mines and Sn'ssI opera
lions eIiminted with the claim thai II
takes as much motive power TO pace
two cars for the small nine as 10 place
twenty at large mine.
Tow ". Arncte. who has heard this
proposition argued at various times ID
Washington and at other points. re
feHred to the design of certain railroad
men at the meeting OF the Fairmont
coal club yesterday and others told ci
netting iuklings OF the effort on the
part of railroad people 20 convert the
director general of railroads and the
fuel admtni5trati ton to this view. 4Tr,
hrnett explained that the argument
; was tnat if 100 cars came TO certain
district they could be switched in for
five big mines with comparatively lit
tie motive power to that required 10
distribute the cars pcc7crtionatety TO
all the mines IN The region.
The plan is believed TO include some
sort of remuneration to the operators
of small mines thus eliminated from
boar
that the plan would include the pay
ment Of overhead expenses.
This plan does not find favor 10 the
Fairmort district.
In the first place any action along
this line would discourage production
and that is what the government
seems disposed to encourage To put
the small operation out OF business
would not only close mines Which arc
IN a condition TO produce coal but
would stop the development Of coal for
big operations growing out OF contin-
ued business prosperitv in most in
stances and do not start OF at that
pace.
There is so much hazard to coal min
inG that it is not easy to obtain loans
from banks for the promotion OF big
enterprises ard it is certain that indf-
viduals would hesitate to invest any
considerable amount of capital il
business where the few seemed to be
1aTored as opposed 70 the many. even
though it proved a Saving in motive
power t. the railroads at a time when
locomotives are very scarce
Bankers Wire MeAdoo.
The Marion county banks replied TO
the letter of ". G. McAdoo, which was
printed in this paper yesterday. tele-
graphing in order that the matter
might come to his attention before the
conference of railroad men and coal
operators to be held in Washington to-
morrow. The message read:
Your letter second received and APP
nreciated. Nonongah Division region
al shortage of cars TO February four
teenth was a.S5S.S. Estimated shortage
to date SIX thousand cars. This short
are IN cars means loss OF income To
this region OF one million dollars and
aHeetS the earnings OF twenty thou
sand employees of coal companies,
and is now showing seriously IN all
lines OF business as bank deposits VIII
verify. Our people are unit that dis
trfbution should not be figured on a
gYoss basis which includes assigned
cars. This position is substantiated by
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad COM
psuys rules governing car distTibu-
During the period OF extraordinary
winter weather mentioned in your let
ter the car supply average OF other re-
gfons Increased while the Nonongah
Division shortage also increased; the
coal from other regions passed through
territory where railroad operating con-
hitions were as severe as the territory
through which the Monorgah division
soaJ passed. Frequently at periods
operators. we understand. could and
Stlu can help the railroads II advised
Sf the situation and called upon TO do
10 by civerting their coal. relieving
kuch conditions as you mention as ex-
sting at Shippensburg gateway.
The operators OF the MononEah d.
Eision and National Coal Association
Ire opposed TO the Continuance OF as
Iigned cars. This was evidenced at 4
tcouttnued on Page az