The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-21
DIVIDE THE BLAME
Yesterdays Railroad Witnesses Said
Shippers Were Partly at Fault.

AtAS2'
frankly admitted they were unable to
suggest an adequate remedy. On the
other hand the shipper, who is suffering
injury, if not being ruined and the in.
dustries which are being crippled were
shown, while in contrast with this pic.
ture were revealed the great railway
systems of the country which had
been rebuilt in the last FIVE years at
unheard Of cost, and which had ordered
equipment and power with lavishness
almost passing belief. . ~. t."
So puzzling has become the situation
to shippers, to railroad men and to the
commission alike that Commissioner
Harlan declared it almost seemed that
the country is suffering from indiges.
ton caused by too great prosperity
The railroad men who testified, adj
mitted they were at fault for the car
shortage, but insisted that only half
the blame was on their shoulders. The
shippers were made to carry their share
Of responsibility without any apparent
effort on the part of the railroads to be
relieved of responsibility themselves.
Causes and Remedies. @-
The causes which have led to a car
shortage were summarized about as fol
lows: =
..k An unprecedented growth in the
business of the country, including an
increase of $500,OOOOOO in the valua- :
ton Of the farm products for the year.
Car thieving on the part Of the
smaller railroads, which have only
sufficient equipment of their own to-
take care of traffic during the slack
months or during normal periods.
inadequate storage facilities pos
NV oil ri,I~
making it necessary for the railroads
to take the output of industries at
the close of each day.
Concentration of traffic Of all kinds.
especially those of the farm, into a
small space of time.
privileges granted to shippers in
the use of cars and as the result of
competition, causing detention of cars
at terminals and small average IF
daily movement of freight cars. =.
Poor business method in the con-
slgnment OF cars, many Of which are
handled several times owing to the 8
y fact that they are not billed to their
ultimate owner or destination. .
+ Some of the partial remedies that
were suggested by either the shippers
or the railroads were: ''~
~ Universal pooling or interchange of
freight cars by all railroads, with the
aid OF national clearinghouse.
"A reciprocal demurrage bill penal
1zing railroad either for not fur
& nlshing cars or for delayed delivery,
or both, as well as penalty on the
Z shipper for improper detention of
cars.
A discontlnuance, of car detention -
privileges granted the shippers and
existing for years, whereby car
movement has been materially re-
tarded. 81 s!'..t ..I - 70
Increase in the penalty or per diem
1or Inc detention or the diversion of
freight cars.
How One Road Prevents Congestion,
John W DAILY, car accountant of the
Illinois Central, gave the commission
information that by contrast with some
things heard in Minneapolis was most
interesting. The Illinois Central has
mad no serious trouble, has no conges.
ton OF freight on its own lines and
Where short OF cars at all, finds this
the result Of cars off it's lines and on
the lines OF other roads. The Illinois
central originates much freight which
goes Oft its lines, and so expects To
lose cars, but at present the balance
IS heavil yagainst it, 1865 cars of
other roads appearing on it's lines. while
1885 Of its own cars ares beyond its
jurisdiction at present. :. :
v 1.-THE ordinary business Of the Til.
nols Central road said Mr.. Dalv
: can be handled with $4,000 cars. Yet
we actually own $4,000. We have pur-
posely provided ourselves with 10000
cars more than, for our normal REQUIRE
ments would, on the average, be need
ed. Hence, there are times when we
have some idle cars. This may look like
lack OF astuteness on our part, but it
IS not. We know very we'll that when
the crops come on and the cotton
moves, our demands will increase, we
this ~ 80
Here was striking testimony. The
Illinois Central is one of the oid val.
managed roads of the country. It has
paid it's hundredth periodic dividend
and its stock is always away above mar
1t would appear that it is possible Ia
provide a road with equipment sniff.
Gent to do the business PROMPTLY or
with ACKNOWLEDGMENT, at any period
and in no way affect the stockholders
detrimentally. IA
An Obligation on the Road.
It is not fair, MI. DAILY argued, that
other roads should not measure IN II
demands upon them. He believed the
railroad business should never have
been permitted to be managed upon ]
.narroW-gage basis. Roads have GOT ia
carry. the produce and material for The
people and they have got to take the
freight wherever it should go to best
enable people along its lines to do bust
ness.
For the country on the whole. Mr.
DAILY believed that there is an actla]
shortage of cars. The roads have tried
to put themselves on an equipment ba.
sis equal to average demand, but not
anywhere near maximum demand.
i q Asked what he would think Of
freight moving 300 to $50 miles ii TWEEN
ty to thirty days, as has been deyel
.oped in some northwest testimony. he
thought it poor railroading. Unless ii
were due to weather conditions most
extra ordinary, such showing on the
Illinois Central would be without pre-.
5cedent. Il s
Wisconsin's Cabbage Congestion.
Entering somewhat dramatically into
the inquiry, came M. O. Anderson of
Racine, Wis, who had a grievance
He was insistent and the commissi toners