The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-28

minal facilities; there was the same
presume that the number of freight
cars is not less in 1906 and that the
railroads were really able to move more
in 1906 than in 1905. Moreover, dur
ing the preceding months of 1906, the
| railroads were actually able to move
more in 1906 than in 1905. To be sure,
the heavy. business Of September and
with the tieup which followed. But
was that effect inevitable9 Could not
the railroads, by careful management,
| and by cooperation, have kept the
freight moving at least as we'll as they
did in 19059 These are the ques-
lions which the commissioners are forced
to meet squarely, as a result Of their
cal information which has just been
secured. t.s.:
It is well-known fact that the rail-
roads have sought to discredit legisla-
ton which becomes effective with the
new year. At various points Of con-
tact between them and the agents of
the interstate commerce commission,
they have been prone to lay the blame
for everything upon the new legislation,
as upon, scapegoat; And there are
those who foresee that this big car
shortage muddle will be used as a dan
ger signal by the railroad lobby up on
Capitol hill. :. -. +
Roads Don't Cooperate. e..
At least part of the second question
can be answered without any guess
work. The railroads, whether. thru ac-
tual or trumped-up disagreement, have
not co-operated to secure the smooth
flow of commerce.. Let one road get
| Ill &c L
other and it will hang to it like q puppy
to root. The Northern Pacific road
has approximately $4,000 cars which
are not its property at all, while other
roads have 5000 OF, 1000 cars belong
| ing to it. In other words, the Northern
Pacific is ahead in the car game at least
5000 points. The Great Northern is at
least 1000 ahead, too. It has about
1000 foreign cars, while about 5000 of
its cars are "borrowed by other lines.
The Pennsylvania road has between
over the country, finding it's cars, and
doing their best to hurry them back
to the Pennsylvania system.
The reconsignment hitch is another
point where the railroads have plainly
failed to do their utmost to facilitate
the movement of commerce. Before
these MISUNDERSTANDING days, a carload
| of freight went to it's destination in the
car in which it was first loaded But
now each road, whether thru real or
feigned suspicion Of its neighbors,
transfer point, the freight must be I'M
| loaded and loaded again. That not only
takes many more cars, but it delays the
movement Of freights very seriously.
| Freight Car Pool Advised.
While some or all Of the railroads
may try to use the acountry's distress as
an argument against regulation, those
who have been foremost in executing
the president 9 wishes will take precise
ly the opposite view. Already there is
plainly arising the issue of forcing a
greatspooling. Of all freight cars. One
inquiry, have been candid enough TO
admit that this is The fonly solution
which will be lasting. They declared
that, while car clearinghouse was
necessity, yet the railroads, if left to
themselves, would never form one And
50 it is altogether likely that, when
the commission formulates it's report, 1t
will include recommendation for legis-
/ latlon, forcing a pooling arrangement
under national control. All Of the freight
cars ca g. would 60 into the pool, regardless
VI OAS coesuo OVHIuS OuCul, duu GuC
road using foreign cars would be forced
to pay for them thru the clearinghouse.
-. Results Of the Tie-Up.
Here are statistics showing the ex-
tent of the railroad s failure to handle
the American staples: Livestock re-
ceipts at seven interior primary mar
kets during November totaled 3,534,1l7
head, falling below corresponding ar
rivals in either 1905 or 1904 by about
100000 head During the first eleven
months Of the year, like arrivals az
gregated 37,442,l29 head, as compared
with 37,089,7o7 in 1905 and 34,28l ,667
in 1904. Shipments Of packing-house
products from Chicago during Novem-
Der totaled 218,l10,712 pounds, against
296,060,362 in November, 1905, and in
1904, 254 ,916,302.
In the wheat and coal situations, the
railroads have not even the excuse
that the delays Of November were due
to overwork in the earlier fall. The