The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-06
CANNOT GET GOODS.
Wichita Merchants and Contractors
Feel Blockade of Railroads.

Almost every merchant in the city is
feeling the effects Of the great amount
OF freight that the railroads are now
handling and the blockades that are ac-
companying this unusually large traffic.
Not only is there a scarcity Of cars but
there are not enough men and locomo-
tives TO move the cars as fast as they
are loaded. In some places the cars that
are loaded and ready for shipment re
main In the yards a week before they
are moved. The merchants of the city
are finding that they must send in their
orders weeks sooner than usual or their
goods will not arrive by the time they
are needed. The blockade is causing the
greatest trouble to those who are in
need OF building material, flour and coal,
which articles have been especially slow
I'm arriving.
Yesterday Otto Weiss. the agent for the
Newton and Halstead Mills in this city,
spent most Of his time at the phone ex-
planning to the merchants that he did
mot have sack of -four in the house and
chat although cars had been loaded at
moved by the railroad shrdluppunpunn
Halstead Friday. they had not been
moved by the railroad company.
Several other merchants are complain
ing that their goods are slow in arriving.
In all the railroad centers the tracks are
filled with cars loaded with merchandise,
grain. groceries and other articles The
stores are stocking up for the fall run,
the coal dealers are trying to fill their
bins. many stockmen are moving their
cattle and the farmers in western Kan
sas are crying for cars in which to ship
their wheat All these conditions have
combined to bring about a rush of bust
ness which the lines doing business in
western Kansas are unable TO handle
with any celebrity. and many of the yards
are so congested that If they were not
already in state Of blockade such a
condition is imminent.
A prominent railroad man of the city
said Yesterday: The roads are doing
more business now than they have for
several years past. The amount Of
freight they are moving is limited only
by the number Of cars and locomotives
they have TO handle IT, Every car is in
demand and every engine is hauling its
full tonnage. I see more business ahead
shan we have at present and from the
present outlook the condition will grow
worse instead OF better. Wichita is do
ing lots OF building and must have build
ing material: the coal bins are empty
end must be filed before fall: the whole
sale and retail houses OF the city do
large business which requires many cars
daily to handle: and then there are the
crops each year. TIC handle this business
either the roads entering this city must
increase their rolling stock or more
roads must be built
At present the slowness with which
building material can be secured is caUs-
ing the most worry in this city. The
men who have the contracts for building
the new additions to the school houses
are experiencing considerable trouble
along this line. Mr. weiss had TO borrow
bricks TO complete his building 10 the
second floor so that the men could work
on putting the joists in till the car OF
bricks arrives. Unless this car is here