The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-07-13
ZONE SYSTEM
TURNED Down
COAL OPERATORS
UNABLE TO AGREE
On Program for Relief Of I'M
pending Fuel Shortage
, in Northwest

washington. July l2--B.tuH!noua
coal operators. meeting here today. IAN,
cd |" work cut any plan 70 bring ao"u'
irmcd!at" shipment of next winter =
ruaI to tho northwest. although agree
ing that tho problem Of obtaining the
dumping OF four thousand carloads
daily uatu November at Great Lake
ports for movement to mt territory
hinged entirely OF car supply.
There was M rndicIt9u that any
concrete plan would b" W0"NCd out Tor
the Joint conference Of the operators
and railroad executives At New YORK
Wednesday. Th" operators conference
however. Will Continue tomorrow hut
it, session IS expected /" h" devoted
largely TO discussion "f questions ,hA'
the operators committee Will prcScn'
40 the railroad men.
Two West v;rgintaus.
The committee selected TO represent
the OPERATORS IN Wednesday confer
Cncc also was chosen as rcrman'n'
one TO function on ali questions r'IN-
my 10 car supply. y. :. FCntz, pr"Si'
dent OF IN" Natona! coal "SS", .auo"
. was selected as chairman Of tn" com.
mite" and IN" other members cnoS,r
\werc J. u. 4. Morrow. secretary Of IN,
National Coal association; J. /. w RIHn
or Pittsburgh. ". l.. Andrews ot Far
mont. W, Va. {. T.. White, '1cN"lahG
Ohio; c. T. Rohncld Of ChiCcaEo' and }
t. Bradley of Dundon, W. Va.
Blame the Railroads.
General complaint was mad" by th'
operators that tn" railroads were no.
strictly obcyiDS the Interstate" com
mcrCc commissions 3Q-day priority or
der giving preference to inc mines IN
the assignment of open top cars. Ar'
parently. the operators interpreted inc
order rs recurring the ass Enmcnt ~ All
open ton equipment 70 IN" Mines pu'
some charged "wilful violations on
the part of tho carriers. Ohio operators
were understood 10 have declared tina.
zoo coal cars in their tYritory hai
been a!locatcd To ship pipe 10 III" Texas
oil fields since the issuance or the
commissions order.
TWO Proposals Rejected
Two PROPOSALS FOR solving IN" coal
problem were rejected BY the operators
after having been suggested by a com
mittee named by the general conference
Establishment Of zone system. re-
striCting the sales territory Of the oD-
orators with a view ~ shortening car
mileage. was rejected after operators
had complains that such plan would
cause them 10 break contracts TN,
other proposal for a division Of tho coal
Supply for tho northwest among mines
In Ohio, Western Pennsylvania. West
Virginia, Illinois and Indiana. ais" was
rejected after the meeting had been IN
formed that contracts have already petn
made for all o. tho northwcStS supply.
At the meeting which was open on.y
=.
average daily delivery Of coal for the
northwest amounted To only 1879 cars
practically onc-half Of the quantitr
said 10 BE- needed as insurance against
a coal famine in the states at the head
Of the lakes next winter. The operators
declared the small deliveries were due
entirely 70 lack Of transportation.
Possibility Of tho rc-cStaolishmcnt or
a federal fuel administration also was
understood 10 have been mentioned dur
ing the conference, but mono OF tho
operators profrsscd 10 have any intor-
mat ton as to the governments atutuac
on such proposal ln .,i,t, -H,;,I IN"
asserting that a fuel administration
could not be set up and begin to funr-
ton effectively in less than ninety
days.
No spccifs instructions. II was an
nounced were given 10 the committee
thar will confer with tho railroad eN,
ccutivcs. but several speakers urEeu
that tho committee ploc" blame on n
carriers for alleged failure n obey me
r"mmisSlons priority order for ear a.
signment.