The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-24

sary. Heretofore the Armour interests,
through their peculiar double possession
Of a highly desirable kind of tonnage
and of refrigerator equipment, have
been able to drive hard bargains. It
was always obvious that if the roads in
a certain alrge territory should get to-
gether and refuse Armour equipment,
they could regulate the situation, but
the cost was great, competition was
keen, and there remained the fact. con-
stantIy recurring in testimony, that
most railroads had light seasons and
heavy seasons for the use Of refrigerator
equipment, so there was real economy
in being able to obtain this equipment
for a season as long or as short as the
case might be, and then dispense with
it. It was cheaper to pay three-fourths
Of a cent a mile for refrigeratOrs at the
height of the season than to maintain
the cars and pay the interest charges
on them the year around, especially in
view of the fact that any company
which manifested hostility to this ar
rangement would receive no Armour
beef shipments. This was very well II
cars could eb gotten, even If the rates
had to be hammered down to the min
inum- But it happened most frequently,
especially in the case Of smaller roads,
that the supply of refrigerator cars was
not equal to the demand, while the icing
charges remained a constant source OF
dissatisfaction to the shipper All this
matter is Of so recent record, however,
that it need not be further discussed
The new Hartman order is appar-
emily equal to nearly so per cent of the
total number of Armour cars The
road has therefore declared its indie
pendence with a vengeance. along with
the Atchisons which has used It's own
refrigerator equipment, apparently
with entire success, for q number of
years Whether or not these prece-
dents can be generally followed is an
other matter. The orange lemon and
vegetable business is southern cali
fornia amounts to some $4,000 or 30
! 900 carloads annually, and there Is a
two season demand for equipment, de-
ciduous fruit moving in the summer
months and citrus fruit in the winter
Thus the Southern Pacific has an IN
4 usually long demand for refrigerator
cars. but must nevertheless, be ex-
/ posed to dull seasons in between, al
| though beef traffic on the Southern Pa
J cific and Union Pacific alike can doubt
( less furnish a use for some OF the cars
But in Georgia in Michigan, and other
/ localities where the season is short but
/ the demand urgent. conditions are
quite different Whether the Harri-
man lines propose to rent out their
I equipment between seasons, we do not
I know; there would surely be nothing
! impossible in the formation OF some
such arrangement. without the trafnc
strings tied to it which gave the Ar
mOurs their dictator1al power. IN any
case, the new increase in the total
amount of refrigerator rolling stock in
the country. and the independence of
I the central and southern group of lines
to the coast should temporarily at
J least make the supply fully equal to tn e
demand If not in excess of it. and
thereby lessen the difficulties Of the
smaller roads
What the final outcome viii be.
whether the Armour equipment will be
sold. or part Of 1t sold, can only be a
matter Of conjecture. It is evident
that there is a real need for q flexible
system Of refrigerator car distribution,
and the private car companies can rem
der a great service to the railroad COM
panies. under the supervision of the
new law. with the old fragrant abuses
checked, and enough competition to
shift the balance of demand