The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-12-23

IL, there were 1929 cars OF coal
loaded on the Monongah division
for railroad fuel. The total for the
year may aggregate 5000 cars.
The big month for railroad fuel
loading off the B. and O. was An
gust, when s737 cars Of fuel were
secured. March proved 10 be the
off month with but 1915 cars Sc
| cured for that purpose.
The possibilities are thatthe Wag-
on mines along the MonOngah d.
vision OF the B. and o. will pro
duce $500 cars Of coal during the
present year. This business was
right fair the whole year through,
having reached the hIgh-water
mark in September when AIS cars
Of coal were loaded.
The biggest production month on
the Monongah division Of the B.
and o. for the year was August at
25,372 cars Of coal and coke, 2487S
OF coal and 499 OF coke. The next
largest month for production was
October at 24225 cars Of coal and
coke. The lowest month for pro-
duction was February when 14T72
cars of coal and coke were pro-
dueed.
Assigned Car Case
Tho au-abS0fbfng matter OF In
terest that was developed in the
region this year was the Injunction
proceedings started against the B.
and o. by the Lambert Run Coal
Company to compel that carrier to
cease using assigned cars. The
suit was brought in the circuit
court of Marion coutny, w. Va,
but was removed to the United
States court of northern West ViT-
GINA. On June 20 the late Judge
Aston G. Dayton at Phillppi. W..
Va, upheld the injunction, which
was reversed by the circuit court
OF the fourth United States dis
trict at Aaheville, N. c., on July 70
which held that the Interstate Com
, merce Commission had the powe!
to assign the cars for railroad fuel.
The case was then carried to the
United States Supreme Court by
the Lambert Run Coal Company,
where It is still pending. An effort
to have the Supreme Court REVIEW
the case in advance of other cases
on the docket was denied by that
judiciary on December IA.
The case will be taken up next
October or November. On Septem-
Der 20 the Interstate Commerce
! Commission ruled that railroads In
order to enjoy privileges OF the
assigned cars must have contract for
at least six months and would not
permit them to use brace of as
signed cars on a daily basis. On
November 13 C. w. Galloway, vice
president Of the B. and o. directed
daily confiscations to cease at the
mines after the Interstate Com
merce Commission stated on July
10 that assigned cars were allowed
on the grounds given by that rail-
road that wholesale contiscation OF
coal loads. would be eliminated
Owing to the increase In miners
wages the attorney general allow
ed railroads to pay IA per cent In
! crease in contracts.
Fair Practices
No doubt the most interesting
movement during the year in the
Fairmont region was the Fair Prac
tees plan, which was adopted on
| September %, on the part Of the
majority OF operators, who went on
record as being opposedto the pyr-
amiding OF profits and eliminating
the too frequent handling Of the
same consignment Of coal. Fore
sighted operators knew the coal
business would soon be on the de-
line later. This was brought about
by the bumper bituminous coal pro
duction which followed later in the
season and a general falling off OF
business after the New England
and lake shipments closed. Tide
water consignments eased up as
well as by the general Industrial
depression in the East and West,
BY the Fair Practices plan, which
was adopted by other coal regions
and other industries, along similar
lines as the co-called West Virgin
ia plan, the operators were able to
have the threatened prosecutions
before the federal court Of north
ern West Virginia forestalled.
The originator OF the plan was
Howard Adams, Clarksburg, w.
Va, OF S. H. Hamilton and Co. 1t
was adopted and Everett Drennen,
Elkins, was made chairman; G. T.
Bell, secretary, and George Brack-
EFT, Fairmont, fair practice com
missioner. By the plan coal was
furnished at IS a ton. This an
nulled complaints in the eastern
Pan Handle in which the fedora
district attorney lived, as well as
those in New York. Philadelphia
and the East. C. H. jenkins, Fair
mont, was one of the chief main
stays of the movement. The big
coal companies, which had practi-
cally all Of their tonnage contract
ed for at reasonable prices, went
along to the extent of furnishing
legal talent and extended their
good offices although none them
selves were open to Indictment.
The movement was inaugurated at
a meeting held in Fairmont on
September %, which was address,
ed by Judge Stephen A. Foster,
Washington, D. c.
Association Activities
The big meetings Of the northern
West Virginia Coal Operators AS
ISOLATION, which has 116 Companies
enrolled as members and 25u
mines, were on February 3. when
c. w. Galloway, Baltimore, vice
president Of the B. and O., which
urged a better plan to have cars
| - IL