The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-12-17
CAR SUPPLY DROPS
90 PER CENT
ON THE RAILROADS
Flow of Empties From the
West is Very
Limited.

With but fifty per cent. car sup
ply on the Monongah division of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad today the
coal production will be cut greatly as
there are SS mlnea idle because Of the
car shortage and practically all mines
could have used more than they re,
ceiYed. The cars on the division to-
day numbered but 396 and the place.
ment fell to 626 Cars leftgoFefsff from
the previous day were 236. Today's
cars are classified as follows: Open,
1856; coke, II.
On the Monongahela railway today
there is a sixty-tive per cent, car sup
ply. Today there we're ZIG cars
placed at the mines in the West Vir-
ginia district and 319 cars placed In
the Pennsylvania district.
Thursdays Prospects.
G, w. Van Horn, Grafton, superin-
tendent of the Monongah division,
was in Fairmont today and took
charge OF the coal transportation situa-
ton. While the supply of cars for the
Monongah division on Thursday was
uncertain at noon today, Mr.. Van
Horn believed that the supply would
be a slight bit better on Thursday than
today. He calculated that probably
800 emptles would be ON the division
on Thursday. Some few empties
have arrived from Chicago, but theil
movement east has been slow because
Of the manner IN which they are scat
tered over the middle west. Wintry
weather will not assist the car move
ment any.
On the Monongahela railway it is
believed that the cars will be fewer
on Thursday than today. The supply
tomorrow may be down to between
40 and so per cent.
Bell After Cars.
Tonight G. T. Bell, executive vice
president OF the Northern West Vir-
ginia Coal Operators Association, will
go to Pittsburgh for the purpose of
endeavoring to get more empties
through the eastern car pool. While
in Pittsburgh Mr.. Bell will attend a
meeting OF secretaries Of coal associa-
tions.
Trying to Help.
Operators who have wired the
United States senator's representing
West Virginia have heard from Wash
ington, D. c., in reference to looking
up the car shortage in the Fairmont
district. They have taken the matter
up with the United States Railroad
administration. An operator last
night wired the same senator's like
this: almost car famine. WHAT
are you going to do about H7"
Eastern Movement,
With the railroad administration
permitting coal to go again as billed
when for the first five listed priori
ties the movement of coal east Of
Grafton as become factor. On Tues
day 1t is understood that the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad moved ZOO
loads east Of Grafton.
Today Superintendent Van Horn
said he believed that the railroad
would move 1000 carloads Of freight
east Of Grafton. With the shift in
coal movement eighty per cent. OF the
coal Is again going to the east About
the only coal being confiscated now
in this region when properly billed is
75 cars Of low sulphur COAL which is
supposed to be used by the govern
ment in connection with some by
product plant.
Coal movement to the west since
the conflscation plan has been on has
taken 10000 B. & o. coal cars out to
the middle west according to superin-
tendent Van Horn. With such long
hauls the supply Of empties are slow
in returning to the east.
With the snow lying on the ground
the usual hsndicaps to coal produc-
ton and raiIroadIng Is being expert
tContinued on page t1uF)