The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-04-15
:LOWE'R'R.ATESa5 ''591 s|1a'a'
FOR LlGNITE.
INSISTED ON :.
Reasonable Tariffs Will Enable
Minnesota and South Da.
s.. .
kOta to Buy ....
OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS

| Minnesota and South Dakota con.
North Dakota coal during the com.
ing year are not to be mulcted an ex;
brilliant freight rate for their fuel,4M
the realway commissions OF the three
states affected can help It, AS q re: q
suit of q recent conference in Fargo,
attended by the rail boards of North I
and South. Dakota and Minnesota
there will be recommended to the In.
terstate commerce commission the
extension to our sister states OF the:
state long has enjoyed.
Under present conditions, Ignite
coal from the Lehigh field can be de-
livered in Fargo at freight rate, OF
$l.25, while to haul the same coal q
mile further, ito Moorhead, MINI, the
railroads ask 1852. With stove. size
ignite selling. at the mouth of the
mine for $3.50, this makes the cost
laid down in Fargo 1896 the ton,
while, just across the river in Moor
head this coal costs $5.12.. The rate
continues to increase, until a ton OF
coal laid down in minnesota repre-
sents a cost of 5000; before the re-
taller has taken out his commission
for handling T.. ,s4 "#:>,
There is an appare nt discrimination
against the North Dakota Ignite
field in favor Of Illinois bituminous,
for a ton of coal from the latter can
be shipped from Peoria to St. PAULA
distance of 500 miles, for $3.50, while
from kenmare to St. Paul, only 81
miles further, the tariff is Sc higher,
or $3.50 the ton. 80
Mayor George D. Hamilton OF De-
in an effort to relieve the coal short
age in his city last winter. He went
to Beulah and purchased three car.
loads Of Ignite, two for municipal
plants and one car for domestic con.
SUMPTION. This last car: cost the
consumers at Detroit $6.25 the ton, or
on basis of heat units, 10 cents more
than Illinois COAL Although the dis
lance from Beulah' to eDtr0it is but
At miles greater than the distance
from Beulah to Fargo the freight rate
to the Minnesota town is $2,65 therton,
while to the North Dakota gate, city It
is but $1.16.. Mayor Hamilton assured
the conferees at Fargo that II the
freight rate is reduced on the basis
Of the Fargo tariff, bringing Ignite
into. open competition with Illinois
coal. Detroit will use from 5000 to
$1,000 tons of the Dakota I fuel this
year. ..% a..'., #.,.'.,t ~
Rate expert James A Little Of the
North Dakota railway commission !ex.
planned that an old Ignite rate Of 81
the ton from Kenmare to the
Twin Cities had :, been cancelled in
December, 1915. II that rate still pre-
! 4. - o"ln DaFOta liz. co"i1,
be delivered on cars at Minneapolis
and St. Paul in unlimited quantities
at $4.25 to $3.50 the. ton, which, it Is
believed, would make, it popular for
domestic consumption in competition
with inferior grades of bituminOus
from Illinois and Indiana. 4, .;%
| As result OF the conference, low.
er rates on Ignite will be recommend:
ed to the railways serving the North
Dakota coal fields. If the railways de-
cline to act on these. recommends.
tons, the demand for better tariff
will be carried to the interstate com.
MERGE commission and, il necessary,
to Director General McAdoo. ~.
; Freight rates which would enable
Minnesota and South Dakota to- use
North Dakota Ignite would more dir
estly benefit the railways than any
other interest. aside from the Ignite
producers. The building up ii a big
Ignite industry in North Dakota
would mean larger mining towns more
freight to be moved In both dtrec-
tons and more business of all kinds
for the railways.
Early action in this matter is i'm
portant, since coal consumers in the
states affected are anxious to comply
with the directions Of United States
Fuel Administrator Garfield and fill
their bins during the summer months,
when there will be slight reduction
in the price of coal, and when all re-
,strictions on storage vii be suspend
ed. =: =, h
President Wilson's proclamation re.
quiring >obbers. selling and purchas-
ing agents, wholesalers and al others
engaged nthe sale or distribution
of coal or coke, except the producers
and miners of coal and the manufac.
turers Of coke, distributing exclusive
their own product, and retail dealers.
became effective April I. Hereafter,
any person. firm, corporation or asso.
citation, other than those excepted.
who without license, knowingly en-.
4 cages in such business will be liable
to heavy penalties, prescribed in the
act of Congress under which Presi.
dent Wilson issued his proclamation.
Application for licenses must be, made
direct to the United States Fuel
Commissioner upon blanks provided