The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05
THE CAR SHORTAGE

No feature of the day stands out SO promi-
nently in the commercial news as the car
shortage, which, beginning as an. annoyance
and soon running into an Inconvenience SO seri-
Gus as to cause general comment, has now
reached the acute stage where shippers are
uncertain one day how they will fare the next
The wonder has been what becomes of all the
cars. There is uniformity Of complaint. The
stockmen of the far west are badly handi-
capped for lack of facilities and in extreme In
stances, cattle driven in to shipping points have
gone back to the ranch to await a more favor
able turn.
Farther along towards the east the country
grain shippers have stood against scarcity
even greater, relatively, than that experienced
in the grazing -regions. The iron manufa curing
districts of the east are In a bad way for more
cars, md the congestion Of freight at Buffalo
is throwing hacktonnage upon all that western
country that moves its produce thru this gate
way.
In the anthracite coal regions the cry is for
more cars, and every manufacturing city in the
south and in New England sends it's story
of shipping troubles affecting Its industries
So often have the reports Of new equipment
set upon the. rails been printed that it would
seem that there ought to- be enough cars to
60 around, and motive power sufficient to move
them. We know that the roads traversing a
narrow strip Of country in the central west
maintain some two hundred thousand pieces of
rolling -stcck, and instances of roads ordering
5000, 10000 or even $4,000 new pieces in a
lump are Of recent record, the equipment com
panies reporting the heaviest business ever
known. There are, to be sure good number
of discards every year in both cars and loco
seem that the railroads ought to hold their
own and keep pace with the growth Of the
| country. >-r-fj - .>...' .
One very forcible illustration Of what be-
comes Of the cars was afforded this week,
| having its origin in our own city. The October
| reports of the railroads entering Minneapolis
were tabulated and showed that in that month
a single industry--that Of -four milling-loaded
out, with hour millstuffs, no less than II 54C
| cars, thus giving the roads a tonnage heavy
| beyond precedent. Had these cars gone into one
| train that train would have been anywhere
from sixty to seventy miles long. This will
give some idea Of the manner in which cars
are snapped up and put into use in. big
shipping center. ~, ~. -. = ....
With such a demand for rolling stock coming
from one source, and with a multitude Of othe
shippers to be accommodated, it be seel
that despite their heavier equipment the roads
have no easy. task gefore them. DESTROYS al
their managers are Of protecting this grea
industry, whose. busiress means 50 much t
them, they have been obliged, nevertheless, t.
put on restrictive measures, in order not t.
discriminate, and to save cars for other shippers
:. OF these cars loaded with the products of tn
mills q great many do not 60 beyond lake port
!, and, were 1t not for the >pressure of freigh
and the difficulty Of prompt handling at thes
], points Of transfer, theirlreturn would be com
paratively prompt but the close Of naviga
ton draws nearer the freight piles up and COZ
J ditions are rendered worse. @sd ~ ~. -
:. This car shortage trouble is the penalty GU
shippers have to pay fer the good times on
country is enjoying. 1t comes at intervals an
works hardship everywhere. Probably the wors
sufferers are the smaller shippers at interie
points, who, with merch andise. to: move and tb
} great desire to see II turned into cash, hay
been obliged to hold ii in sstere ,-ewhile cas-
bound trains, g too heavily laden tosstop an
pick up their small contributions, have pulle
J. thru$ their stations. 50 G. IT.
There is a gratifying feature about It al
/. Minneapolis is no worse Of than other cente,
.. Of traffic origin, and isindeed. much bets.
/ of, thanks to her many lines of railroad, tia
some. Railroad conversant with ever
phase of the situation tell The Journ a
that they can see no prospect for immedia
improvement and those less hopeful, say tt
worst has not vet been seen. Whatever come
however, will affect all, and Minneapolis Is ce
3 tain not to suffer worse than other cite
: while her chances for keeping a free outl
q are better than in some other centers.