Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-25
TALK ABOUT THE so-cAR TRAIN
ON GREAT NORTHERN ONLY
A STORY
DENIED BY OFFICIAL
Trains are Going Out of Superior
Loaded With Fuel for Minnesota and
the Dakotas as Fast as They Can be
Made up in the Yards.

ST. Paul, Dec. 22-The report that a
Great Northern S0-car train was to be
sent out from Superior, Wis, loaded
with coal for North Dakota, the train
to run on a passenger train schedule,
is characterized as extremely nonsen-
steal by Superintendent of Transperta-
ton Bryant of the Great Northern.
1--WE have been sending out coal
trains from Superior to Minnesota and
North Dakota points for the past ten
said Bryan today. 81 cannot under
is not practical to handle eighty cars
in one train. We are rushing CONNER
cial coal out of Superior as fast as
trains can be made up."
Shortage Affects Farmers,
Kansas City, Mo, Dec. 22.-The in
terstate commerce commission car
shortage hearing was resumed here
yesterday. Numerous shippers in differ
ent lines were subpoenaed to testify
H. G. Wilson, manager of the trans
portation department of the Kansas
City board of trade, said that the Kan
sas City grain men feared to accept flu
ture orders for fear of their inability
to get cars.
I'm your opinion has the car short
age had any effect on the price of grain
to the people?" asked Commissioners
Prouty.
Il think it has, replied Mr. Wilson.
Mr.. Wilson said that the claim of the
railroad that grain men did not I'M
load the cars promptly was not true of
Kansas City.
Causes of Trouble.
Mr.. Wilson gave two reasons for the
present conditions, inability on the
part of the railroads to keep their roll
ing stock in shape and the train ton
mage system. He said be believed there
should be some way to prevent the dis
elimination Of the railroads against the
Second class" shipper as the shipper
of grain and hay is known. The ship
per of high class freight" he said,
had always been given the first call
on cars, while the grain, coal and cat
tlemen had to wait.
Mr.. Wilson asserted that if there
was a free interchange between the
railroads it would lessen the car short
age.
R. G. Crosswaite, an elevator man of
Enid, Okla, said his firm was forced
to buy grain on the track at high rates
in order to get cars. He said that the
farmers of Oklahoma had been unable
to sell their grain, and had lost heav-
lily. For want of cars the farmers had
placed their grain on the ground,
where it rotted.'
Remedy is Offered.
At the conclusion of the inquiry the
commissioner, shippers and the repre-
sentatiyes of the railroads agreed that
all parties concerned would be greatly
benefited and present conditions re-
lieved if a free interchange of cars
among the railroad companies could be
brought about. This solution was first
suggested by the shippers, was ap-
proved by Commissioner Prouty and
was indorsed by the railroad represen-
tatives who yesterday were given op-
portunity to state their side of the
case 1t is understood that the west
ern railway lines generally favor a
free interchange of freight cars, but
that eastern roads have refused to en-
ter into such an agreement. The rea-
son for this is that eastern roads are
profiting by present conditions and are
using many thousands of cars belong
ing to western roads and their own
equipment as we'll, causing a serious
shortage to exist in the west and south,
Western lines have been forced to is
sue an order that such cars as they
have left are not to leave their own
respective tracks.