The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1918-01-04
COAL PROBLEM d.
PRIMARILY ONE
OF DISTRIBUTION
(By Rail Road War Board).

Reports of shortage OF coal are
being published from many parts Of
the country. This is due chiefly to
the enormous increase in the demand
/ for coal and to other c~ausesA but it
! cannot fairly be attributed altogether
to lack Of transportation.
The railroads appeal from the gen.
eral statements being made upon this
subject to the incontrovertible facts.
The records Of the railroads show
not only that the coal operators have
produced more coal than ever before,
but that in the eight months, April
to November. inclusive, the railroads
have hauled and delivered 1880
moro carloads, or about 100000
more tons of anthracite than in the
same months of 1915. This was an
best record ever previously made.
The records show that in the same
months, the railroads hauled $685.
sci more carloads, or about 81 ,OOO,-
600 more tons. of bituminous coal
than in the corresponding period of
1916. This was an increase Of 1S
per en- over the best record ever
previously made.
Railroads Work Under Difficulties.
The railroads have not been able
at all times to carry all the coal that
could be offered to them for move
ment. But has any other industry
responded more efficiently to the de-
mands created by the war than these
statistics regarding coal t~ransporta-
ton show the railroads. have? And
the railroads have accomplished what
they have under the greatest DIM
iculties-dificulties resulting princi-
pally from their inability to increase
their plant and the excessive use OF
preference orders in Government
transportation.
The charge has been made that the
Inability Of the railroads promptly to
move all the freight offered to them
has been largely due to the failure
of the various railway lines to work
together tremendously and unitedly
in this war crisis. We challenge those
!, Iv,ho make this allegation to Cite any
+ evidence in support of it. They can
t not do so. The allegation is without
: foundation. The railways, under the
| Organization they voluntarily formed
= to direct the operation of their prop
: critics acted on every suggestion the
: Railroads War Board has made to
: increase the amount of traffic moved
The present coal problem, is not
as has been represented, altogether
/. a problem Of transportation. 1t Is
e primarily a problem of distribution
for which the public must share thu
+ responsibility. The railroads cannot
9 with their existing facilities, handle
/. IA much larger tonnage of coal so loni
5 as the present system of distribution
prevails. The present system Of dis
d tribution involves a great amount o
icross-hauling of coal and the result
ing large waste of transportation
The remedy doubtless requires SUI
render of convenience and old habits
but it is clear. 1t is to cause coa
to be supplied to every section fror
the mines nearest to that section. N
, one unacquainted with the facts ca
D. conceive of the unnecessary long hat
= of coal which has grown up unde
the right of the shipper to route n
traffic as he pleases. Whatever ma
be it's justification in normal time
- this practice effectively reduces tn
:. efficiency of the transportation mi
: chine in the time of heaviest trait
- ever experienced.
Reports to the Railroads w;
Board from all the railroads Of II
country show that on December !
this year the excess of untitled c,
orders amounted to 117,132 cars,
- decrease of 22,SS0 compared to Il
figures for November LIST, 1917, al
:. an increase of only 5000 cars col
M pared with December LIST, a year ae
although the railroads are haulil
currently at least 20 per cent mo
passenger and freight business th'
a year AFRO.