The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-11-12
The Interstate Commerce
Commission Notifies
Officials To Take Stand
BOOTHS L0ADIHGPLANT.
Congestion Staged for B.
& o. Coal Is Hinted
At

CouRscation OF coal cars under
loads at the mines has been or
dered stopped today according TO
wire sent to the interstate COM
merce commission this morning by
c. w. Galloway, Balhmorei vice
president OF operations OF the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad. This
information was received today by
.G. T. Bell, executive vice president
of the Northern West Virginia Coal
Operators Association, who recetv-
ed telegram from a representative
Of the commission.
According TO the information re-
ceiYed here Mr.. Galloway sent
long telegram to the commission
stating his case and after prOmis-
ing to stop the conflsCatlon OF coal
at the mines requested that he have
an audience with the commission
to present his cause some day next
week. Mr.. Bell was informed by
the commission that as soon as the
date was set that the Northern
West Virginia Coal Operators AS
sociation would be notified so that
1t might have representative pres
ent.
This morning, G. T. Bell, Fair
mont, and A. C. Beeson, Annabelle'
arrived home from Washington, D.
c., where they had been in con-
ference with the interstate COM
merce commission on Wednesday
and remained over on Thursday to
keep in touch with the situation.
Mr.. Galloway WHOSE answer was
awaited was in Fairmont yesterday
on a different mission. G. H. Jenk-
ms the other member Of the spe-
ItfSt 5mniIEr b ~ II Jfla9 b;
went To Baltimore today on busi-
ness and will return on Saturday
morning.
On Wednesday the committee
from the operators association ap-
peared before the commission ana
MIR. Bell presented their case. In
the first place he contended that
the wholesale confiscation which
the B. and o. railroad has resorred
10 is contrary to the preamble OF
the assigned car order Of the COM
mission, which permits railroads to
leave this special privilege be-
cause of the elimination OF the evil
OF wholesale conascatIon OF coal.
Secondly he said that it was unlaw-
full for the railroad to go on to the
private property of the coal opera
tors and confiscate coal on the sid
ings after it had been loaded and
Carded to consumers. Mr.. Bell
pointed out how in cases OF emer-
gency the railroads had right to
contiscate coal on the-line in which
case OF course the coal belonged to
the consignee. He offers no objec-
tion TO that but contended it was
unfair for the railroads to come
to mines and tear cards off the cars
and confiscate the coal
The operators also COntended that
the Northern West Virginia Coal
Operators Association had on a
number of occasions offered to as
sist the B. and o. in fueltng its
system, but that Mr. Galloway and
other officials were not inclined to
listen to any suggestions made by
the operators. Correspondence
along this line was exhibited to
the commission.
The commission wired the B. and
o. that it must state it's position
at once, but word reached that body
that MIR. Galloway was not in Bal
timore at the time After Mr.. Gal
! loway's return to Baltimore today
he wired the commission as stated
in the foregoing.
3. and o. Needs Coal
There Is little doubt but that
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad is
plumb up against 1t for fuel. The
recent high handed means Of Sc
curing coal would indicate this.
Some operators charge that the
3. ard @. nay be CCnges2ed, Ito
force ehe price of coal down to such
a point that 1t can secure its fhel
cheaper. Whether this is true or
not may be a mater OF conjecture,
but nevertheless such a congestion
would bring out such a condition
with all export cut oil. line business
limited and little tonnage going to
The lakes.
| Complaint about congestion ia
heard all over the Fairmont reg
ion. AT midnight last night 1t was
reported that there were approx
mately 1900 loads tied up on the
Monongah division.
Having Loading Plant
Elaborate preparations are being