Story: Coal Shortage Blamed On Traffic Conditions - 1912

From the Detroit Evening News, October 5, 1913

Thousands of cars Loaded With Anthracite Tied Up Between Detroit and Toledo

Alderman Andrew Walsh, of the 14th Ward, says he will introduce a resolution in the council next Tuesday requesting President Grindley appoint a special committee to investigate the coal situation. Walsh has been doing a little investigating on his own account and declares that the coal dealers have combined to take advantage of the traffic situation and squeeze the consumers.

"I was out over the Michigan Central tracks between Detroit and Toledo recently, and I saw thousands of freight cars loaded with coal tied up on side-tracks and in yards," said Walsh. "I inquired among the railroad men and was told that they can't get the cars into Detroit to unload them. One traffic official of the MC said to me: 'There is plenty of coal for Detroit, but we can't get it through and into the unloading stations'".

"I saw miles of coal cars enroute to Detroit, and was informed that they have been waiting days on side-tracks. A retail dealer on the west side told me of a conversation he had with a wholesale coal dealer. The price of Pocahontas coal has been shoved up from $4 to $5. The retail dealer called up the wholesaler and complained that his customers were 'kicking like steers' because of the advance. The wholesaler said to him: 'Stick for $5. We can't get the coal in and they'll have to pay for it.'

"The problem begins and ends right here at home in the rotten traffic conditions and the determination of the wholesalers to take advantage of it. The fact that other cities are paying less for coal and not in danger of a coal famine is a pretty good indication that the trouble we are having lies right here in Michigan. I believe an investigation would show that the dealers have agreed to 'soak' the consumers, using the report of a 'coal famine' as an excuse."

Hard coal is dribbling into Detroit. A visit to the Windsor yards of the MC railroad, Friday, showed about 125 cars billed to Detroit, and as many more bound for Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing and other Michigan points. There was no congestion in the yards, several trains standing made-up and given a clear track.

Nearly half the carriers of anthracite were box-cars carefully sealed, to avoid waste and theft along the route. Most of the cars consigned to Detroit contained stove-coal, only a few containing chunks of furnace size. There were not more than 20 cars of soft coal in the yards.

From the Detroit Evening News of October 12, 1912. [DET-1912-1005]