The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-21
HOLD CARS TOO LONG
Shippers Are Responsible for
Famine, Says Stickney.
DO NOT UNLOAD QUICKLY
President of the Great western Tells
the Interstate Commerce Commits
siosa Rolling stock Is Tied Up on
an Average of Nine DayS-RaiIrOads
Gould Double Their service.

a +. Stickney, president of the Great
Western Railroad, yesterday submitted
TO the Interstate Commerce Commission
d statement of the conditions on his lines
in the Northwest. laying the blame for
the car shortage at the door of the ship
pers instead of the railroads.
His position is that it takes the roads
but twenty-four hours to haul the aver
age car to its destination, whereas the
shipper consumes nine days in loadims
and unloading the average car. lie con-
tends that if shippers could be forced L.
load and unload in four and one-half
days, the country would have 1,7OQ,0oo
more freight ears at its service
Mr.. Suckney has been in Washington
for several days in conference with the
authorities here with reference TO the
situation. and has given much valuable
information TO the Interstate Commerce
Commission, the President, and the COM
mittees of Congress.
Legislation the Remedy.
Mr.. Stckney framed his statement 70
the commission since coming to the city
last Monday He had a conference with
the President on Wednesday, and has
had a number of private talks with mem
bers of the Congressional committees.
Mr. Suckney places the blame for the
I shortage Of cars in the Northwest pri-
marily upon the shippers in not loading
and unloading the cars they use prompt
( ~ He says an average CT nine days are
/ consumed for each car in this way all
over the system. and that if some power
| could force shippers into ordinary
promptness, that alone would solve the
/ problem.
President Stickney says he fully real
/ lies the gravity of The situation, and is
as anxious as the government can be
to find way to get fuel into the North
west, and TO relieve the street at every
point Mr.. SuCkney does not believe that
/ legislation can do much to relieve the
situation AT once, and nothing permanent
/ " unless IL compels the public repre-
| scented in the shippers, to act with
| prOmpmess in putting their product
aboard the cars at the point of shipment,
| and take it of again at the point OF des-
tination.
shippers Could Double Service.
An abstract Of President suckney's
statement t. the Interstate Commerce
I Commission iONOWS-
'The average distance each loaded
freight car is hauled is 80 miles
The average time consumed by the
railways in hauling is one day. or
/ twenty-four hours
The average time consumed by ship
/ pers and consignees in loading and an
loading each car IS nine days, or 10
/ hours
IF the law or any other power can
compel shippers to load and unload each
! average car in four and a half days. il
would be equivalent TO instantaneoUsIy
doubling the effectiveness of the freight
equipment of the railways-in effect
adding 10 such equipment ]. 10000 ears
without cost to the railways and without
/ increasing their capitalization. while 10
1 purchase that number of new cars would
cost the railways and add TO their capt.
taliZation the enormous sum of N,360,01J-
eco which. AT per cent would add to
their annual charges $54 10000. TO be coli
| lected from the people in additional rates
THE movement Of freight cars from
point 10 point. which is the function OF
the railway, and the loading and unload
ing, which is the duty of shippers. are
other. As long as shippers consume nine
days in loading and unloading each car
transportation viii be delayed.
If delays in transportation can be de
layed by legislation. such legislation must
compel the loading and unloading within
/ a reasonable time