Omaha daily bee., 1919-12-09
OF
COAL STOCK IN
OMAHA Differ
Coal Committee Denies Claim
OF Commissioner Butler
That There Are 1000
Cars in Yards.

NC0utauue0 1rOm Ea8o Vuo.J
Union Pacific tracks between Six
teenth street and Vinton street via
duct, $50 cars in Gibson yards and
200 cars in the north railroad yards, !"
he said.
Worse Two Years Ago.
Fuel men told me that this coal
isn't being moved and was also
told that trainload of coal has been
on the Missouri Pacific tracks here
for = week and the cars have not
been separated.
There is more coal in Omaha
now than there was at this time two
years ago and I can't see the neces-
sity or sense OF closing industries. l
believe Il is time that the city officials
should get busy and obtain reliable
information on just how much coal
there is in Omaha"
State University Closed.
The University of Nebraska,
which has been open on part time,
was completely closed yesterday on
account of coal shortage. "The
Daily Nebraskan," the student pub
LEGATION of this institution, was sus-
pended on account of lack of adver-
Using. .s
Weather conditions seriously I'M
terfered with the regularity of street
car traffic yesterday and caused
much inconvenience for those who
had to stand at chilly corners wait
ing for their cars.
First-hand information on just
how much coal there is in Omaha
was sought yesterday by the city
council following reports that there
are 500 cars standing in the railroad
yards of Omaha. Mayor Smith said
that railroad man gave him this
information yesterday morning. Men
were sent out to make check on
the cars of coal in the railroad yards.
Wire from Denver.
1t is believed that great quantities
of coal are being conhscated by the
railroads. Commissioner Butler re-
ceived word that two cars of coal
for the municipal coal yards were
shipped from the Colorado mines
two weeks ago. Yesterday morning
he received a telegram from Richard
Grotte. chief clerk in his Office, who
went to Denver last week, stating
that both cars had been conhscated
by the railroads.
Mayor Smith received a telegram
from Peter Kooi, big coal operator
in Sheridan. Wyo., stating that two
thirds of the output of the mines
there is being used by the Burling-
ton railroad.
According to the result of the
mayors investigation there are plen-
ty of cars but no coal, contrary to
Governor McKelvie's statement last
week that there was plenty of mined
coal in Wyoming but no cars in
which to move it.
Severe Weather Conditions.
Severe weather conditions prevail
ing yesterday throughout Nebraska,
Wyoming and Colorado, had a d.
rect bearing upon Omaha's coal
situation. in the opinion of members
Of the terminal coal committee when
they entered upon their second week
of serious work yesterday morning.
This storm will have a direct eff
feet upon Omaha" remarked H. L.
Snyder, acting chairman of the COM
mittee, while waiting for the COM
mittee to meet.
Snow was reported along the lines
of the Union Pacific and Burlington
lines through Nebraska, Wyoming
and Colorado, with slight winds and
temperatures from zero to IS de-
grees above zero. Trains are belated
and wire trouble is reported from
points in western Nebraska and
Wyoming.
Colder Weather Coming.
The United States local weather
bureau forecasts snow today Nine
degrees above zero was registered
here at 7 yesterday morning and
at 10 a. m. the temperature was
s degrees above. The weather bu-
reau reported a general snow over
the state Sunday night and yester-
day morning, with prospects of fresh
northerly winds over Nebraska to-
day. No heavy winds were report
ed in Nebraska yesterday morning.
L. A. Welsh, local weather fore
caster, this afternoon stated that he