Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1906-12-13
CAR SHORTAGE
North Dakota Members Of Congress
Gettius Busy to Investigate apd
:. Relieve Situation.

A Washington dispatch says: Sena.
tor. ]. McCumber, North Dakota, has
introduced a resolution in the senate
calling on the Interstate commerce
commission for all evidence taken by
that body under the provisions Of the
La Toilette resolution, directing the
commission to investigate elevators,
terminal charges. rebates and special
privileges.
1t is understood that the testimony
? taken will make about 1000 pages.
Incidentally, this resolution will be
corner stone for discussion of the
entire freight situation in the north
west. Mr.. McCumber will make a
speech in which he will show hund-
reds of instances where farmers are
suffering severely through lack of
freight cars, at this time.
1t is strongly intimated that Sena-
cor LaFollette will take hand in
the debate and join with McCumber
in deno6ncing the present system of
wheat inspection and shipping of
crop.
Congressman Marshall has agreed
with the chairman of the interstate
commerce commission to do little
field work in obtaining evidence for
the hearing to be held by the CON-
tool I'd n
the car shortage in the northwest.
All the members of the North Da-
kota delegation have been busy seek
ing some remedy for the conditions
that exist in the Northwest with re-
gard to the car shortage. Senators
Hansbrough and McCumbel were
among the first to call the matter to
the attention Ut the commission and
have been active in seeking means
of remedy. There seeus no question
as to the necessity for relief, but the
difficult work OF the commission will
be to devise some means by which it
can be obtained. If the equipment
OF the roads is not sufficient to care
for the rapidly increasing business,
it is a question wheCher this can be
reached except in the ordinary course
of development OF the roads them
selves.
The powers of the interstate CON-
merce commission in the matter of
the car shortage are by no means GER
tain or clearly defined. According to
a letter written by Chairman Knapp
the commission has no power to
compel the railroads to furnish ade-
quate equipment, and IS not pre-
pared now to recon mend legislation
on this subject. The commission
could make an enforceable order
where there was evidence Of discrim-
ination between shippers, and might
make awards of damages. but the
crly direction, striking Hannaford on
the Cooperstown branch, then the
James river at Larrabee, and enter
ing Eddy county close to the south
west corner of township l48, range
"a, thence northwesterly to New
Rockford, crossing the James river
six miles east OF here and crossing
the N. P. tracks about l,500 feet
south of the present N. P. depot.
thence northwest, crossing the James
river short distance east of Twist,
thence northwest to Minot.
!. 1t will be seen..at glance at the
map that this new line viii parallel
the 500 road all the way; besides it
will shorten the distance between
Minot and the Twin Cities in til
neighborhood of 60 miles, besides
making a much better road, as the
new line is surveyed nearly on bee
/, line across the country. 1t will also
be noted that New Rockford is half
way between Casselton and Minot,
where the company now has division
points, and there can be no doubt
that II the road is built We will have
a division point at New Rockford
and have the main line Of the Great
Northern system, ,....something no one
here dared dream a few years ago.
.