OCR Interpretation


The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, January 17, 1917, LAST EDITION, Image 7

Image and text provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045487/1917-01-17/ed-1/seq-7/

What is OCR?


Thumbnail for

speculator handle coal under such
conditions? Also, there are 3,000
cars of coal used each day in Chi
cago. Is it conceivable that anybody
could corner the supply under these
circumstances?
"Don't you see from this brief out
fe line that the charges that are aired
in the newspapers by the railroads,
which axe heavy advertisers by the
' way, are not sincere? The railroads
could stop speculation instantly if
speculation existed in coal. They
could issue an embargo against-anybody
holding cars on track even if
they cquld afford to pay the demur
rage charges, or they could take the
offender off their credit list. Either
one of which two remedies would put
anybody out of business. Do you
think that any speculator would dare
to attempt to corner the coal mar
ket if the railroads actually would
impose such measures? Hardly.
Even at that, to use such weapons
would instantly stop speculation, but
the railroads don't apply these meas
ures because there is no profit in
them. And they are after adopting
measures and applying penalties that
will cost the public dearly for their
short-sighted game, and you know
that in the final analysis, whether it
is a demurrage charge or a recon
; signment charge, the public always
foots the bill.
"This noise about improving car
efficiency is nothing more nor less
than an attemptto increase the cot
of coal to the consumer by the rail
roads J in other words, an attempt to
increase the freight rates in disguise.
"I trusfcthat this review of the
present situation leading up to this
flP climax will enable you to place the
blame ' for the. present situation
where it rightfully belongs."
-&z-o
PLAN SEIZURE OF COAL CARS
BY STATE1ILITIA
Seizure of everloaded. o6r.of coal
in the state isbe!ng considered by
Att'y Gen. Brupdage as one way to
relieve the wantlor coal in Ulinbis.
The attorney general held a confer;
ence with Gov. Lowderi today to dis
cuss the feasibility of calling out the
state militia to seize the coaL
On top of the previous embargo of
the Norfolk & Western and Bait &
Ohio railroads on coal shipments
into the west comes the Chesapeake
& Ohio with an embargo order on
coal shipments westward. Chicago
is now cut off completely from any(
chance of getting coal from fixe West
Virginia fields until the embargo is
lifted.
Fred W. Upham, pres. of the Con
sumers' Co., has wired the interstate
commerce commission that "untold
suffering will follow with possibility
of a wide epidemic of sickness" in
Chicago if the embargo is not raised.
Poor people, who buy coal in small
amounts, are now paying at the rate
of $18 a ton for their coal.
Though the supply of coal has
grown scarce in the city, the coal on
hand costs no more tp get than be
fore, pealers who are now asking
exorbitant prices for coal are doing
so because they know' they can get
what they ask, it is said.
Acting Corporation Counsel Cleve
land says an investigation has con
vinced him that the railroads and
coal dealers are in combination in
violation of the Sherman anti-trust
law.
o o '
U. S. AFTER FOOD HOGS
The United States grand jury be
gins its probe of the juggling of
prices by food hogs. Subpoenas
have been served on members, and
employes of the butter and egg
board. They will be given a'chancb
to explain the workings of the
board. Federal investigators are
keeping their eyes peeled on the El
gin Butter and Egg Board.
o o
London. Woman is largest indi
vidual buyer of new British war
loan. Lady Werher, widow of dia
mond king, has invested $10,00,000
in war bonds.
;a,ii&Nifc-i

xml | txt