The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16
RAILROADS SHORT or CARS
CAN'T BEGIN TO HANDLE THE
FREIGHT BUSINESS.


nOing TO Relieve the situation Force
NJ Men sem to Hunt Missing Cars.
The most striking indication Of the won
derful prosperity that this country is now
enjoying is found in the fact that there Is a
car famine on practically all the great rail-
way systems OF the United States and that
Sney cannot begin to handle the freight
that is offered TO them for shipment.
So many complaints of car shortage have
been made to the Interstate Commerce
Commission that it has been decided 10
make the matter a subject of formal investi-
cation. A large proportion OF the COM
plants laid before the commission charge
that the railroads are unable to supply cars
for the transportation OF commodities hat
must be moved without further delay, or
that they are deliberately discriminating
against certain industries. On the other
rand transportation experts such as James
J.. Hill hold that the trouble does not come
from discrimination, but rather from the
fact that the commercial and mercantile
business OF this country is developing with
such rapidly that the railroads, through
lack Of facilities, are unable TO handle all
the business that comes their way.
The shortage OF cars is not confined to any
particular section of the country but is
widespread and general-so extensive in
fact that it affects the best equipped as well
as the poorest Of the railroads of the coun-
try. Interstate Commerce COMMISSIONS
Lane il OF the opinion that the most serious
problem facing the shippers to-day is that
Of getting traffic moved. It is no exaggera-
ton. according to his statement, TO say that
there are millions of tons Of freight awaiting
akty.pnant noU In Nhn TIpsead Gtutoa u-htnh
the railroads confess themselves unable to
handle promptly.
The farmers in the Northwest, including
the Dakotas and Minnesota, are complaining
that they annot get their grain moved TO
the elevatorsa at Chicago, Duluth, Milwaukee,
Minneapolis and Superior, where there is
ample room to store it, and that they are
forced TO stack their wheat in bins, all the
elevators out there being filed.
In Ohio the shortage is pronounced on
most OF the railroads, with little prospect
Of decided relief for some time to come.
The car shortage there is said to be the
worst in the history OF the region. Freight
traffic on the Ohio River has been immensely
benefited by the inability Of the railroads
to handle all the freight offered to them.
River men say that the business on the
Eiver has been increased fully so per cent,
but this has had little effect in lettering the
traffic situation generally.
Nine owners and operators in Pennsyl-
vania are complaining, too, that they can
not get nearly enough cars 70 move their
coal. They say that it means a dead loss
to the operators il they annot get their
coal to market soon after it is mined and
that some OF them won't be able 10 keep
Il UP long il conditions do not change.
Other mine owners agree that the situation
u becoming serious and that If something
cannotsbe lone soon hundreds Of men are
likely to be thrown out OF employment.
Ihe coal famine in Utah, Idaho. Wyoming,
Nevada and in part of Colorado is also
largely due 10 the shortage Of cars. The
control Of the entire coal fields there is
held by the Union Pacific and the Rio Grande
Western railroads. With the car shortage
and the greatly increased demand they are
utterly unable to supply enough fuel for
the bare necessities of these States. For
weeks Nyssa, a little town in Idaho, was
without coal until the citizens took matters
nto their own hands and held up a trainload
that was passing through on the Oregon
Short Line, a feeder of the Union Pacific.
They forced the conductor TO uncouple
two cars and move them TO a siding, and
for the first time in many a colo day the
people of Nyssa were warm.
The city OF Ogden, in Utah, only an hours
ride from Salt Lake City. has been living
from hand 10 mouth as far ar Goa goes
for weeks. and from Wyoming comes word
that right 1t the very doors of the coal mines
Of that State people can scarcely get enough
euel 10 keep from freezing.
A. the present time there are probably
$4,000 600 q n awaiting shipment IN the mill
districts Of Pennsylvania. The reason for
thia Ia that the extraordinary building
movement in the West has required the
nss Of the Pennsylvania Railroads. heavy
Hteel cars. The company began TO buy
khase cars several years ago, anticipating
IN enormous demand for structural steel,
which has since arisen, but which, curl
uusly enough, is reaching its highest de-
volopment west Of Pittsburg. The Western
railroads simply do not have the cars to
move this class Of freight, and although
the Pennsylvania gets a very short haul
from them tho rule that the point Of initia-
ton must supply the cars required the COM
a TO provide this o OF
motive power largely for the benefit OF
AOioheA AAhoo
There is no movement Of grain yet to
speak Of over the Pennsylvania, although
the company expects to get back a large
number OF box cars as soon al Lake naviga-
ton is closed. This will compel the West
ern railroads nov having Pennsylvania
cars on their lines to utilize them, for the
reason that after Lake navigation closes
they will nave to send the grain overland.
As an indication of progress, figures as
to the average daily car mileage In 1905
and 1908 are interesting. For September,
1906, the average was rs 10 and for Septem-
her. 1908. 25.6e. For October, 1895, it was
25yO67 and for October this year it was APP
proximately 1850.
The Pennsylvania is making an extraor-
binary effort to head OF the shortage OF
cars on it's lines. Its equipment Ia consid-
cred more than ample u II were not so scat
tered and special agents have been sent
throughout the country to gather b oars
and send them home as rapidly as possible.
On January 1, 1900, the number Of cars
owned by the P~epnsylvania lines east OF
Pittsburg was 81 40. with a capacity OF
, SAe sRN toua On July 1. 1909. the total Waa