The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-03-16
No DANGER THAT
SMALL MINES ARE
TO Be CLOSED UP
Pailroad Power Conserving
Scheme Did Not Get
Very Far.
POWER IS VERY SCARCE
Failure of Baltimore and
Ohio to Move Loads
Shows 1t Up.
POWER IS VERY SCARCE

The railroad men who were urging
the doing away with the small mines
in order to conserve motive power
have abandoned that scheme, accord
ing TO T. w. Arnett, who spent the
most OF the week in Washington and
Pittsburgh. The Cry against such
proposition was too loud for the i nos-
ters OF that scheme to have show
according to Mr.. Arnett's observations,
which forced them to back into their
hole and drag it in after them.
That suggestion, which MI AFnete
brought up at one OF the meetings OF
The Fajrmont Coal club, was that few
engines could switch twenty cars TO
big mine just as easily as leaving Two
at a small mine. The railroad people
who tried to win the appreciation of the
powers-that-be for this scheme advo-
Gated that when there were hundred
cars for a section of the district. dlvlce
them between five big mines. which
could be accomplished with the limit
ed motive power while the pro-rata
distribution of the cars to a number OF
mines required grea deal OF work.
The coal people OF the Fairmont DIS
trict were gratified to hear that THIS
proposition did not find general favor.
Il was rejected here as unfair and Un-
reasonable from every standpoint
1000 Cars Day Promised.
The railroads are understood to nave
promised w. G. McAdoo. dtrectoT-gen-
eral OF railroads, to put 1000 cars Gay
into the Fairmont district but they
hs NV SaiIe1 down terribly. not only on
vat+ins, empties here but in MOVING
The loads which accumulated several
laws ago when there was fair run Oh
ears. The inability of the railroads to
transport coal has been emphasized
repeatedly at local gatherings OF coal
men but is coming into prominence
with such stress at this time that those
same ocal men are coming to thlhh
that the railroads are in great oeal
worse shape than they had ever
+hought. The number of loaded coal
cars in this territory at this tune Is
evidence that the railroads are not
able to handle five hundred cars DAY
Instead Of the 1000 promised to the
Fairmont district. or the 1900 to wh'ch
the region is entitled under the pro-;
rata arrangement.
Coal Notes.
Clarence D. Robinson. who Is Proml-
nent in the conduct OF affairs at the
Fairmont Coal club, presiding at TINS
weeks meeting in the absence Oh a.
Brooks Fleming, the president, mas IN
vited the city commissioners OF FalF-
mont to be present at next week
gathering as his guests.
n C. Byers, assistant to President
GRAY, nay be placed in charge OF the
Western Maryland property temporaT-
lily at least President Carl r. Gray
resigned to give his time to the ser
vice of the government in the conduct
of railroads.
G. B. Bokey and son, R. L. Bokey,
are operating new mine opposite the
Morgantown and kiugwood shops.
near Aiorgantown, having purchased
ten acres OF Freeport coal from the
Peninsula Coal company.
WHAT Parsons Says
The current issue of Coal Age, lead
ing coal trade publication of New
York. which is edited by Floyd Par
sons. a native West Virginlan, VINO
was IN the employ OF the Consolidation
Coal company and lived at Fairmont
sixteen years ago, says:
.'The most eventful year in the his
tory OF the coal industry is drawin6
to a close. Operators, jobbers, deal
ers and the consuming public are re-
taxing from the tension OF a nerve
Wracking winter and turning hopefully
toward washington, when is soon to
come the word that will dispel the
clouds CT uncertainty that now develop
the governments plans for prices,
zoning, car suppiy,di version OF ship
ments and so forth.
''The demand for coal continues to
excee dthe supply in virtually all
grades. A slight improvement is evil
dent in the production OF bituminous
eoal-an Improvement which can be
traced directly to better supply OF
cars at the mines. In this connection
It is interesting to note that the ef
Hects OF the governments decision to
buy Increased motive power for the
coal-carrying roads are already being
felt. A large number OF locomotives
that were being built Tor the Russian
government were purchased for use
on the various roads in the PeunsyI-!
Eania coelmining region, and many Of !
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