The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-12

From the Chicago Record Herald:
 The railroads today ere race to face with the greatest car and power Of engine. shortage in their history It is estimated by conservative and expert traffic men that the demand for cars to move the traffic of the country which Is now being offered for transportation IS fully 5oOOO in excess of the supply. As the weeks go by the shortage will un- doubtedly increase rather than decrease until it reaches a point where every freight yard and every freighthouse in the country is blocaded with traffic awaiting transportation facilities. So bad has the situation become that a sudden period or cold weather would almost paralyze the entire country. Realizing the dan ger of this. traffic and operating men are using almost superhuman efforts to re- lieve the situation, and are hoping against hope. The fact with respect to the trans portation facilities of the country and the amount of traffic of every description and class that is being offered to public car riers are startling in their significance, for in the traffic of the country is mir rored a prosperity that is unprecedented.
 The statistics regarding the movement of freight during the last two years are almost incomprehensible, and show, as does nothing else, the increasing prosperi- ty to every branch of industry-a com mercial, industrial and manufacturing ac- tivity that is becoming the wonder of all nations
 When the average man is told that dur ing 1901 the railroads of the country trans ported or moved a total of over 100000 tons of freight for which they received over $1,00O 00O,000 and that they carried over 6OoOOO,0O0 passengers, for which they received over $s6O 100000, his mental faculties are stunned at the magnitude of these transactions, and he begins to realize that the United States is now the most prosperous country in the world. These figures, large as they are, will be greatly exceeded for 1902, and those whose business it Is to keep a finger on the com mercial and industrial pulse of the coun~ try do not hesitate to say that the in- crease in traffic of the last three years will be surpassed for several years to come, provided nature does her part and there are consequently no crop failures.
 The question naturally arises whether the railroads of the country have been remiss is. not keeping pace with this tre- mendously increased prosperity.
 fo questions comes in the statement that during 1901 the railroads, operating a to- tai mileage of about 19S0oO miles, spent over s20O, OOoO0O for equipment. and that this sum will be exceeded this year. The fact that it was not greater is due to the Inability of the manufacturers to con struct any more engines and cars.
 The manufacturing interests which sup ply equipment used by railroads have been wholly unable to keep pace with the growing demands made upon them. In nearly every case these concerns have in the last two years increased their plants and forces and have kept them going night and day in the vain effort to supply the demand for cars and power.
 Reports received from locomotive and car works throughout the country show that there are sufficient orders now on hand to keep them running day ana night for the next six months.
 The railroads today stand ready to or der many thousands of freight cars and many hundreds of engines, but their or ders can not be placed for delivery inside of a year.
 This fact has driven some of the largest railroad systems to desperation.
 Only last week one big eastern road maid a bonus of $100.000 to a smaller rail- road company in consideration that the latter turn over to 1t an order for fifty engines which were soon to be delivered This bonus of 5000 per engine fairly H. illustrates the straits to which railroad managements have come for power
 The Pennsylvania company has within A short time placed orders for $50 loco motives and 19OO0 freight cars, and the company is in the market for more equipment. but can not procure it. The Baltimore and Ohio road is spending this year over. s20, 0,OOO.oo0 for equipment and