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Show , ML SITUATION . !S WE SEfflOUS, SAY THE DErttERS : - . " 0 . . . . Retailers Say That the Railroads Are Confiscating Fuel Consigned to Them, but This Is Denied; New Independent Company's First Shipment to Salt Lake Coal, intended for local dealers, is being confiscated by the railroads for use in the engines, according to local dealers, which is adding much to the general distress from coal famine. "Both the Rio Grande Western and the Ore-( Ore-( gon Short Line are confiscating coal intended for local use. AVe are entirely out of coal and there is no prospect of getting get-ting any," said a large coal dealer todav. The offleers of those railroad denied that report today, but General Superintendent Superin-tendent Buckingham of the Short Line admitted that few can of commercial coal had been confiscated by that road thi season. "The Short Line gets its coal from -Rock Springs, Wye, and we have experienced ex-perienced little difficulty in getting Tutl to supply our needs,"' he said. "I yt tfenera' superintedent of the Rio Grande 'Western stated that (several e&rs of coal in such a state that they could not be hauled, had been confiscated confis-cated bv that road for use on the en- is at Castle Gate and only such rars as I were in process of being loaded with coal were standing on the track. Imme-I Imme-I diately they are loaded thfy are dis-J dis-J patched. "t'olton is the junction point on the I main line for the mines at Winter j (Quarters aid other points. Cars loaded with coal are hauled from the mines to Colton. and remain there until ' they are picked up by trains on the j main line. There are always more or , less cars at both points in the process of loading or switching in connection with the making up of trains, but there ' is never such a number as stated in i the News or is there any sidetracking and delay in transit. ' ' irines, bat said that verT little confisca tion of coal intended for local dealers had been done, though he admitted that several cara had been confiscated. Situation Is Serious. I The Bamberger Coal company reports that the coal outlook is not encouraj; ing. No coal is coming in, say the members mem-bers of this firm, ana the situation is more serious than before, as there is , ao jprcpect of relief. The Central Coal company reports that )t ia having no trouble in obtain-taf-CoaL but is away beUnd on orders. " The Citizens' Coal company is getting fir or six cats a day. bnt is' five weeks behind ia ordera. Therp are no positive indications that the situation will be relieved In the near future. Striags of from fifty to Cn0 private wagons were lined up in front of the various coal yards today. Coal From New Mine. Two carlflads of coal from the mine of the Independent Coal and Coke in Carbon county was received in this city yesterday. This is the first coal to come from . this mine to Salt Lake. The coal was hauled a distance of nine miles by team in order to reach the railroad. It is asserted by the railroad people that about 200 tons of coal is coming to Salt Lake every day now and ihat the worst is passed in the coal situation. General Manager A. K. Ridgway of the Rio Grand Western has issued the following statement: Mr. Ridgway's Story. "The coal shortage situation in Salt Lake City and the Salt Lake valley is better today than it has ben for months. 'iuring the past three days lomO t'lr'sof eoal and coke have been brought iy tbe valley on the Rio (iraude West--yVroad alone. Of this Salt Lake has reeAired a very generous portion. "For tbe past two days the Castle Gate and f'lear 'rek mines have pro dueed anil shipped nothing but lump coal for dorretic ne. "The Rio Grande has plentv of cars to haul coal in and plenty of locomo tive equipment. oal js being handled in preference to all freight except perishable stuff. "The mines are producing as much as they ever have and probably more. The trouble is that the demand has ex reeded all expectations and the old mines cannot supply the coal needed." Mr. Williams Explains. General Manager H. L Williams of the Utah Fuel company made the fol lowing statement: "The Deseret News' statement that 200 cars of coal are sidetracked along tbe Rio Grande is incorrect. The mine |