Evening journal., 1918-01-24
COAL FI.NNE net
FAULT OF RNLEOlDS
Pennsylvania e.President
Says All Shipments Are
Handled Promptly
los CARS on THE
WAY TO PHlLA

PHILADELPHIA. Jan. 24.-Charges
that shippers OF anthracite coal at the
mines in Pennsylvania were not con-
signing sufficient fuel here to meet the
city's demands and that the fault of
the shortage does not rest ON the shoul-
ders Of the railroads were made yester-
day in a statement issued by George
Dallas Dixon, vice-president Of the
Pennsylvania railroad, in charge OF
transportation.
Mr.. Dixon showed in his summing up
Of the existing conditions that the rail-
roads are prepared TO bring all the coal
TO Philadelphia that Is consigned here
and that the number of empty cars dis
tributed at the mines for loading Is,
and has been, in excess Of the number
actually required.
The statement was issued by Mr.
Dixon in answer, TO the assertion made
by the Fuel Administration and the
coal operators tending to place respon-
siblity for the acute coal shortage in
Philadelphia upon the railroads.
Railroad Does its Part.
In his statement. Mr. Dixon said.
"As many inquiries are being made as
20 why the Pennsylvania railroad does
not deliver more anthracite coal in
Philadelphia, especially for domestic
use. it seems to me to be in the public
interest that there should be a clear
understanding Of the situation. The
Pennsylvania railroad, or any other
railroad, can deliver to this city only
the anthracite that Is consigned here.
20 % f~a1 fa.a oafG AZ q Gn
pers; we can only furnish the trans
portation service by carrying the coal
where the shippers order. 10 sent.
"The duties Of the railroads with re-
spect TO getting anthracite coal TO the
households and other consumers in
Philadelphia are two fold:
I'D To place sufficient supply Of
empty cars at the mines.
~ To deliver the loaipd cars at the
consignees sidings.
There has not been a week in all
this period Of scarcity in which the
Pennsylvania railroad has failed TO
place, for loading in the anthracite
mines on its lines, a greater total Of
cars than were actually loaded.
Nor has there been week in which
we were not able to deliver to the con-
signees sidings in Philadelphia, anthra-
cite coal consigned to them, although
there have frequently been occasions
when we could not actually place the
cars on the sidings because the sidings
were filled with other cars which had
not been unloaded
t65 Cars In Transit.
"The distribution Of anthracite coal,
whether for domestic or other uses, is
not problem Of railroad management.
Transportation is, and we are furnish
Ing II. II more cars are CONSIGNED to
Philadelphia, we will haul them. but
repeat, we cannot control the consign-
ments
Let me give a brief analysis OF tho
tctua situation for one day This
morning we had 600 steel cars, Of 30
tons capacity each, enough 10 carry 30
600 tons of fuel. distributed 10 the an
thracite mines which our lines serve.
When these cars are loaded tonight
they viii go 10 all directions OF the
compass, not as the railroad manage
ment chooses, but as the shippers. .di-
rect As many cars will come to Phila-
delphia as are consigned here. We will
do the hauling, but the consigning is
in other hands.
Yesterday the Pennsylvania railroad
had on hand in Phnadelnhia awaiting
delivery 20 consignees, 359 cars Of an
thracite coal for local consumption, af-
ter iii cars had been unlOaded or
accepted on sidings the previous day.
At noon yesterday we had on the way
20 Philadelphia 95 cars of anthracite
coal 10 arrive within twenty-four
hours. and 20 cars TO arrive within
forly-eight hours, or a total Of i65 in
transit for prompt arrival.
summing up the whole situation,
we had on the tracks, 10 this city. yes
terday. two and one-half days unload
( ing Of anthracite coal, and more than
one days unloading actually on the
way, between the mines and Phiadel-
phia. in addition TO what the other
railroads had on hand here, or in tran
sit This is typical of the situation
as it has been for some time"