The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-09
NEW COAL PRIORITY
HITS HOUSING PLANS
Building Materials, Iron and
Steel Must Make Way for
Domestic Fuel.
]. c. G. ORDER Is SWEEPING
People in Ohio, Indiana and
Michigan Complain of Short
age as Winter Nears.
Special Despatch to THE HERALD


WASHINGTON, Oct. 8.--A new priority
order on coal. issued to-day by the In
terstate Commerce Commission, will
make a big cut i'm the number of rail-
road cars available for the movement of
iron. steel and building materials.
The commission found that the short
age of coal in Indiana, Ohio and neigh
boring States and in the Northwest con-
stituted an emergency and the orders
issued extend priority on coal move
ment to all railroads east of the Mon
tended to roads only as far west as the
Mississippi River.
In addition the commission has sus-
pended all special permits for coal ship
ments to public utility and other prefer
ence users. Utilities will be cared for
by future permits, but such permits will
be issued only when the coal is actually
needed. The commission pointed out
that despite unfavorable conditions the
railroads handled more freight recently
than In any other corresponding period.
The orders were issued on the recon-
mendations after a conference attended
by Daniel Willard for the Association of
Railroad Executives. representatives of
the National Coal Associate the car
service division OF the I. G. c. and va
rious State utility commissions. The
commission said:
"As the demand of the Government
for coal for war purposes has dropped
off, the amount of coal made available
for American industry since the first of
the service orders of the commission has
been substantially equal to or above the
average for recent years despite strikes
OF miners and switchmen and the recent
car congestion.
1.-THE increased production has been
consumed in a large part by industries,
by railroads and by other public utilities,
by the Northwest and by New England
and by expectation. There has not been
O. sufficient production of the sizes of
coal for domestic purposes to satisfy the
present demands for such uses.
Vigorous complaints have been re-
ceived in behalf of the domestic users
of coal in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.
Complaints have also been received from
Oklahoma. Texas and other Western
States
ut is imperative that the production
of coal be even further increased. To
accomplish this 1t will be necessary to
increase the car supply for coal. AS a
means to such end the commission has
entered an order requiring all railroads
east of the eastern boundary of the
States of Montana, Wyoming Colorado
and New Mexico TO furnish coal cars to
coal mines in preference to any other
use. The orders Of this character here
tcfore issued have applied only east of
the Mississippi River
1.-THE present order runs until further
order of the commission and will be re-
Taxed as soon as it appears practicable
to do so. AS a further means of ac-
complishng the object sought all out
standing permits for the use of coal cars
for transportating freight are cancelled
effective midnight October 10. There
after until the domestic coal situation is
we'll in hand permits of this character
will be issued only on a showing of pub
lie interest"