The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-07-26
Coal for Essential Institutions
Is Given An Unqualified Priority
Federal Agencies, Producing
Operators and Rail Traffic
Experts Modified to Avert
Fuel Crisis-President to
Name Emergency Commis-
sion Today.

Washington. July 25.-(By The AS
sociated Press)-Mobil!zed 70 meet ths
crisis of a nationwide fuel shortags,
federal agencies, producing operators
and railroad traffic experts awaited To-
night the word from President Harding
to set in motion the administrations
machine for emergency coal operation.
Ground work for the operation OF tna
emergency fuel rationing program wal
laid today by the interstate commerce.
commission which declared an emery
ency existed on the railroads east OF
the Mississippi river. This formal an
nouncement Of the carriers inability TO
serve the public in the transportation
Of necessities opened the way FOR tho
distribution Of coal under the plans un-
animously adopted by representatives
Of the producing fields in conferences
with Secretary Hoover.
The directing agency for the emerg.
ency machine. a presidential COMMITTEES
chosen from the interstate comme-cs
commi ssion. the departments OF COM
merce. justice and interior. with Secre.
tary Hoover as chairman. will be named
by President Harding tomorrow. accord
Ing to administration officials. This.
committee, with the aid Of an admnis-
trative committee Of operators, railroad :
traffic experts and probably represen-
tatives Of public utilities. will direct.
the activities Of local committees Of
operators in mantainng fair prices and :
In distributing fuel the the carries and
other public utilities in the order OF
preference established by the Interstate
commerce commission, as best suited :
to serve the needs Of the general public.
Railroads Given Orders.
Two orders, both issued on its declara-
ton that an emergency in transporta-
ton existed. were issued by the COM
mission.
Railroads were directed TO supply coal
cars to mines for such special purposes
as may from time to time be designat-
ed by the commission or its agents
therefrom. These special needs having
been cared for carriers were directed
to use all equipment for transporting
fuel first to railroads and other common
carriers, second to public utilitie..
street railways. power. light. gas,
water and sewer works. ice plaNts and
hospitals: third to governmental. local
state and federal bodies: and fourth
this applying only ton coal carriers
reaching Pennsylvania, Ohio. West Vir-1
ginia. Kentucky, Tennessee and Ma
bama, for shipments via Lake Erie
ports to Lake Superior ports. Domestic
fuel coal generally was given the next
place In the preference list.
Railroads were forbidden to divert o.
reconsign shipments except as they
might be needed for . superior use
under the order OF classification set
forth. They were further requested 20
discontinue use Of cars suitable for coal
shipment In any other traffic and rail-
roads not serving mines were required
to begin daily deliyeries OF su'tabis
coal cars to coal carriers.
Food Priority Qualified
The order giving priority for fool aud
other shipments was qualified lr n
clause stating that such lctHrcaco
should be shown by n carrie" "al" TO
the extent that 1t Is currently !" DC UNI
able to promptly TO trans''"rt III!
freight traffic offered It for movement.
In the routing orders, a"piyins all
over the United States. the commission
required the roads to disregard existing
contracts and agreements applying TO
freight revenue divisions.
Both orders were made effective
from and after July 26." and were
based on authority delegated to the com"
mittee by transportation acts.