The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-20
NO CAR SHORTAGE, SAYS hill.
STORMS ALONE TO BLAME FOR
NORTHWEST,S TROUBLE,
Great Northern President Declares rms
coal Dealers Delayed Placing Their
Orders TIL Too Late Impossible 10
Get Men Needed-NO Discrimination.

Get Men Needed-NO Discrimination.
ST. PAUL, Dec. is.-James j. Hill, prest-
dent of the Great Northern Railroad, testi-
fed briefly before the Interstate
Commission this afternoon. Mr.. Hill was
permitted to tell his story regarding the
car shortage without questioning.
There Is no scarcity OF cars, said Mr.
Hill. we have plenty OF them. The storms
Of the last month have blocked trafic on
the branch lines. The coal dealers did not
order early enough. There has been no dis
elimination in grain shipments. One mans
money is as good as another's. We are as
anxious as the shippers and consumers to
supply the needed transportation, and are
doing all in our power to relieve the sltua-
ton in North Dakota
General Supt. George T. Slade, son-in-law
OF Mr.. Hill, was asked if he was short OF
cars on his line. He thought II the cars
could be released promptly there would
be efficient cars. The Great Northern
WIS NOT short of motive power, but was
short of competent labor. There was n
general shortage of competent b on
all roads, according to reports he received.
AskedIf the Great Northern had given the
men SUI Efficient rest, he said he could say
yes. except in isolated cases.
He said he would prefer that the men
were not worked overtime for the sake OF
! efficiency. lie thou ght in times of stress
men could w1rk fifteen or sixteen hours a
day and still remain efficient. They could
keep tina up for a week, with sufficient rest
az intervals. he did not believe men were
quitting on this account.
An addition Of 100 men to the force IN
..uoIya ,,1pthl was the hest answer TO tina
proposition. he said. The company en-
deayored to assimilate the men by working
them with older hands. He had never heard
of the cadet" system so-called, or OF the
waiting" system being practised on the
Great Northern.
Construction work was going on in NORTH
Dakota and elsewhere, he said. This wonlC
explain the shortage Of skilled labor: The
physical condition OF the roadbed was
generally good and there were practlcany
no slow orders" except in storm periods.
He was asked: What plan would stimu'
late the movement of freight carsr'
If witness could think of such a sugges-
ton, he said, he would put It into enect
ON the Great Northern. lie had power W
make the necessary expenditures within
reasonable bounds. Every possible e1or1
had been made to please the patrons OF th'
road. He acknowledged there was trouble
now. He could suggest nothing as TO new
methods, hut could only ofier double track
dkt dlA
The causes leading up to the presen
crisis were increas Sc of general trauc, M
Slade said, greater movement over I'M
line due To increas ed manufacture, great
demand for forest products OF the PaClnC
increased demand for ira nsportatIon.
Peculiar weather conditions during tn
past ten months, with droughts, Storm
and billiards. in the West, strike OF coz
miners at Crows Nest Pass. resulting II
lack of coal and substitution OF coal OF al
inferior quality, and lack OF competen
help. The result OF running smaller carr
would merely be TO increase the numbe
of trains and cars. With consequent de
laws along the roaT.
member of the commission asked
Il would like to know why the splitting
up Of trains would tend TO congestionG"
Witness. The number OF meeting point
would necessarily be increased and there
fore cause a greater delay.
Mr.. Marble. Wasn't a policy inaugu
rated of having a ton per mile showing
rather than a policy to suit public interest
The witness knew Of no such policy. TIT
instructions were 10 divide neaVy load
rather than run heavy individual loads tC
make a ton a mile showing. The average
freight car movement over the Great North
ern for October was thirty cars per mile
per day. The record on the Erie system
twenty-one per mile.
ern Pacific, testified the Northern Paclh
was making more miles with its engine
than any road in the country. When h
heard the other fellows tell their storie
about troubles he thought the Northern
Pacific was getting on fairly well. IN
business Of the road had increased from 10
per cent. in 1901 20 219 per cent. in 1905, o
more than double.
Forest products had increased 30 pc
cent. since last year, grain was about tn
same, coal handled showed an increase Q
About 80 per cent. The Northern Pacifi
never Disseminated against grain ship
ments and always tried to relieve the graf
trouble.
Competitive points were not favore
so far as he knew. The Northern Paoifi
; did not fail TO increase operating expense
where the business demanded IL. The ser
vice was improved TO meet the growinI
demands. The road would be in fin
shape to handle the crops next year, he sale