Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-25
MUCH TRAFFIC CONGESTION
Reports Do Not Show Deliberate
Tying Up Of Equipment.
CONDITIONS IN OHIO ARE BAD
Shortage at Pittsburg, and Railroads
Are Enforcing the Demurrage
Rates-In Cumberland Valley.

of the charge of the Louisiana shippers that
the railroads were deliberately causing
freight traffic congestion for the purpose OF
d.screditing certain features of the new rate
legislation and making appeals for such
legislation unpopular, and that the roads
persisted in the excuse of car shortage
when freight yards at various points were
crowded with empties, instructions were
sent to correspondents throughout the af-
fected districts to report on actual condi-
tons as to the number of cars available.
The answers from most large centers show
few movable cars idle.
At ST. Paul the car accountant of the
Minnesota transfer yards estimated that
there were on the transfer tracks and in
the St Paul and Minneapolis yards 200
empty freight cars. though all were not
available. At Minneapolis traffic managers
declared that until the grain crop was
moved there would be few emptes that
could be moved. Secretary Jamme of the
Minneapolis board of trade said 1t was inn
possible to find out how many empties the
railroads had. fact which the grain men
had long been trying to discover He de-
clared that empties were lying unused on
side tracks all over the country, but not in
the city there.
The number Of empty cars in condition to
move in the yards of the Denver railroads
yesterday was LILO.
Suffering in Sioux Falls.
At Seattle the Great Northern and the
Northern Pacific had 224 empty cars in the
yards. practically all needed and held for
jobbing trade. The Columbia and Puget
Sound and Canadian Pacific roads put out
all empties yesterday.
Sioux Falls. s. D.. is in the center of the
district that suffered most from the coal
famine. There were not to exceed thirty
five freight cars empty and movable In
Sioux Falls yesterday
Both the Southern Pacific and Santa Fee
officials at San Francisco said they had no
empty cars In the freight yards. For months
every available car had been sent east in
order to relieve the congestion there. At
Portland. Oregon, there were only. thirty
five empty cars.
c. w. Sanford manager of the Chicago
Car Service Association, said in Chicago
yesterday:
Empty freight cars in the Chicago yards
are being moved as rapidly as possible to
my certain knowledge. and the congestion
Is no greater than Is to be expected at this
time Of the year. There is no way, how
ever. of computing the number of cars
standing Idle"
Shortage in Ohio.
Ohio reports real car shortage. Railroad
men in Cincinnati said that while a few cars
were standing empty 1t was because they
could not be taken to where they could be
had there been such a shortage of cars.
Secretary Fetter Of the Cincinnati Freight
Bureau and c. II. Waldo. car accountant of
the Cincinnati. Hamilton Dayton railroad.
made the reports
AT Columbus. Ohio, the officials of nine
railroads said there was not an empty or
available car in any of their yards. They
said the demand for box cars was greater
than they could supply.
There is shortage of freight cars in the
q ra
Forcing the demurrage rules to the letter in
an effort to get empty cars with which TO
handle the unprecedented amount of ton
mage.
Officials of all roads entering Pittsburp
declare that they are swamped with freight
and say that as far as they can learn the
dlmculty Is not entirely due to the Christ
mas rush. The general prosperity of the
country, resulting in large shipments of all
kinds of merchandise. is given as the cause
All persons receiving shipments have been
notified that cars must be unloaded as
quickly as possible. End that under no cir
cumstances will the demurrage rules be
suspended.
$50 Cars Empty.
pennsylvania railroad officials here saw
that about $50 cars are empty and movable
in the Harrisburg district yards. This is a
distribution point. The estimate includes
all kinds of cars, chiefly coal cars of the
company and private lines, gondolas, etc.
Boxcars have been forwarded almost as
fast as received. The number Of empty and
movable is smaller than usual There is no
lack of motive power.
Cumberland Valley officials at Harrisburg
say less than fifty are empty and movable
in the yards The Phila delphia and Read
ing Company estimated that there were
hfty-four emptfes movable at Rutherford,
four miles from Harrisburg, and possibly
twenty in that city.
In the east the report shows few idle
cars. The New York, New Haven and
Hartford and the Boston and -.Aaine rail-
roads report their Boston yards clear of
empty freight cars The New York Central
has only 200 on hand there.
Frank H. Harrington. division superin-
tendent of the New York Central at AL
bany, says that there no idle freight
cars there. Tbo Delaware and Hudson
railroad folks say they have 10000 freight
cars, and have no complaints from short
age. There are few cars which can actual
~ be classed as empty. The Boston and
Aibanys freight business is congested and
more cars than are obtainable could be
used.
The south does not find many empties. OF
the five railroads entering Richmond. 1t was
said yesterday that not one had a car
empty and movable. Officials of these vari-
Gus roads declared that few emptes are
sent out of Richmond. One company Chesa-
peake and Ohio. had seventy-three cars
empty yesterday, but 1t was said that they
would be loaded before they were hauled
out of the city.
Car Shortage Not Serious.
Officials of the railroad entering Nash
vile, Tenn. state that the car shortage
is not serious and that, while there Is
temporary scarcity of cars which will con-
tinue until the middle of January. it is ex-
pected that the necessary supply will be
ready to furnish customers in thirty days.
The terminal association in Nashville han
dies on an average of $500 cars a day.
The car shortage In other sections of
Tennessee. however. is quite serious. At
Brushy Mountain mines, which are owned
by the state, apd where more than 700
convcts are employed In mining coal, there
has been for twp weeks several train loads
of coal ard coke awaiting shipment. De-
spite the appeals of the state authorities
motive power to move these cars has 1t
been provided, and at Hartman. twenty
miles distant, the yards are congested.
AT least 300 cars are standing on the
tracks. whereas two days transportat ton
would give the railroads that number of
cars for service. The state board of prson
commissioners has made formal complaint
an. cars have been promised, but they have
not been furnished. and in consequence the
convicts are idle. and have been for nearly
two weeks. at heavy expense TO the state
Atlanta reports tremendous traffic and
congestion. 1t was said yesterday that It
doubtful If there We're more than 3To
empty and movable cars in the Atlanta
yards. This includes the Seaboard Air