Bisbee daily review., 1906-12-06
OTHERS ARE INTERESTED.

The inability of the railroads to sup ply cars to carry oil from the oil fields in California to the consumers in oth- CT states Is stirring up a vigorous pro
 est among those who are interested in producing fuel oil. The fact that railroads do not furnish the required cars for carrying oil to those who are anxious to consume it is working a serious handicap on the oil industry and already the complaints are grow io:; louder and louder because of the failure of the railroads to handle the oil product as fast as there is demand for 1t by the consumers. It is claimed tia; there are not more than half ( nough cars to handle the oil product of the state. Tn Los Angeles 1t ts asserted that six hundred additional oil cars are badly needed at this time. The failure of the railroads in their inability to handle the product Of California oil has made 1t neces- sary to provide expensive storage ac- commodations and keep vast quanti- ties of oil locked in the ground by means pf tightly plugged wells.
 California oil operators and railway oficiaA agIkeSthat it is deplorabie conditfoA. Ehe latter claim that it
 is somethins- -Masscannot be remedied
 immediately. and lament the fact that
 the shortage of cars is losing them
 money daily. They declare that it is a condition that relates to nearly every kind of rolling stock. Some of the operators. on the other hand. de- clare that the surest remedy is the passage of car law similar to that in force in Kansas and Texas. It is claimed by them that when this law went into effect in those states not fewer than 600 oil cars were diverted from the local traffic to meet the re- quirements of the new statutes of Kansas and Texas. Others are of the opinion that these have all been re- turned to the state, and that the short age is due wholly to an unexpected increase in 6fls csi$umption.
 The Texas and Kansas laws pro vide that when an operator gives due noticeiefor a car 10 be placed at his not forthcoming the railroad pays a penalty of s25 day until it is de- livered On the other hand. if the operator does not use the car upon its arrival he forfeits s25 demurrage for every day that it stands idle. The law is fair to both parties and very effective.
 When the law was passed in Texas the Southern Pacific took 600 oil cars out of California and when similar legislation was enacted in Kansas the Santa Fe diverted 200 more. These may have been returned, but it is a fact that not more than half the Kern river product is being moved, and that every producer there is far behind in his deliveries.
 Arizona has used nearly 6,000,o barrels of California oil during the present year. but would have used al great deal more had adequate trans portation facilities been available.
 A prominent Los Angeles oil man takes charitable attitude toward the railroads. 'It is condition which fhe raiIroads could not have avoiied and yet followed I safe and conserya- tive business courscI All were Of lie. opinion that the San Francisco Gisas- ter would result in a reduction of all kinds of traffic with the exception of that in building material. Instead of this there has been big increase in all lines. and if the railroads had suf fcient cars for the business, they have