The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-15
CAR SHORTAGE IS SERIOUS.
MAY TIE Up MANY LINES OF BJSI-
NESS IN THE WEST.

~ ~ -
suit In Certain P~iaces-PeOple Freezing
Because Susnclent Coal Cannot BE
Procured-An Appeal 10 the Railroads.
WASHINGTON, Dec. l4.-So serious has
the shortage in the supply of cars become
that it threatens to tie up many lines OF
! business, and IL continued may cause un-
told suffering and misery among hundreds
of thousands Of people throughout tine
! country, especially in the West. Presl-
dent Roosevelt ia very much alarmed over
the situation and will use every means
within his power to correct existing oondl
tons. He took up the matter to-day with
the Interstate Commerce Commission and
that body tonight got into telegraphic
communication with the presidents OF the
railroads whose ines traverse the sections
Of the country which are at present acutoly
affected by the famine in freight oars
The despatch to the railroad presidents
follows:
From many parts OF the country. and
particularly from your section, the Inter
state Commerce Commission is receiving
numerous and importunate complaints OF
car shortage and failure to transport the
necessaries Of life. In various places In the
Northw est it is represented that people are
actually freezing because sufficient Goa
for household use cannot be procured
ow ing to extraordinary delays in moving
that article. The commission therefore
urges you to make every possible effort to
meet at once and relieve the suffering OF
those dependent Upon the facilities Of your
road"
This despatch was addressed 20 the
presidents Of the Great Northern, -
Northern Pacific. the Minneapolis. st. p
and Sault Ste. Marie, the Chicago and North
western, the Chicago, Milwaukee and st.
Paul and the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy railroad companies.
THE most distressing thing in this country
to-day Is the condition resulting from tie
failure Of the railroads 20 transport the
necessities OF life," said Chairman Martin
w. Knapp Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission
While the complaints that come from
the Western States are to the effect that
coal is not procursble, owing TO the fact
that cars cannot be obtained to transport
it, the opinion is expressed by Govern
ment officials that IL the shortage con-
tinues a famine in food may be expected
in certain parts of the country. b con-
sestion of traffic at many points Throughout
the United States is worse now than at any
time in the history Of the country.
The commission il about TO make the car
shortage the subject Of investigation, and
hearings will be held next week at Minneap-
oils, st. Louis and Kansas City. Some
days ago special agents Of the commission
were sent out TO make inquiries and confer
with railroad men. So far as the Govern
ment IL advised the car shortage is just az
severe now az it was a few weeks ago. The
complaints that have already reached the
commission come from portions in the
West where zero weather prevails nearly
all winter and which have recently beer
visited by storms that have caused great
distress.
limitations ave been conveyed to Gov
eminent authorities that the railroads coulC
put an end to the car shortage at once i
thew. so desired. The Interstate Com
merce Commission is not disposed to pas
judgement until the facts are inquired into
As far as the commission is informed there
ia no dominant cause for tho existing ca
shortage.
Broadly speaking said a member o
the commission, 1T is not primarily a laci
of adequate car capacity, but rather wan
of motive power, sufficient tracks anC
adequate terminal facilities. A very i'm
portant element is the delay of shippers il
loading and unloading cars. In SOM
places there is such a congestion that EN-
hargoes are placed upon TRAFFIC TO thes'
points, because to continue the movement u
such localities increases the congestion"
A specific illustration was given at tn
Offices to-day OF the congestion that exist
in certain places. At Galveston not lonI
aso there we're 1000 loaded cars, film
completely the terminal yards and all tn
side tracks for a long distance up the line
-Where such a condition prevails 10 cal
apparently be OF no benefit TO shipper
, 20 forward carload traffic to h congeste,
localities" said a member Of the com
mission.
In making its inquiry into the causes q
/. the car shortage the commission will en-
, deavor to get light on these points:
1. What amount of freight has bee
offered for shipment at stations which IN
railroads nave not hauled, and what reaso
/, ia given for Transporting the same.
2. Whether empty cars are allowed Z
remain upon sidetracks or in yards for an
length OF time.
3, Whether loaded cars are held a
unusual length Of time before being haule
to destination.
4. Whether it il the policy OF the raj
roads, as shown by their practice, to max
; use only Of the large cars Of recent cor
: stnlction and abandon the use of the olde
D and smaller cars.
: S. Whether any industry or any com
I modities have 10 difficulty in securing
supply of cars not offered to other indus
: tries and commodities.