The Washington herald., 1906-12-22
ROADS ARE AT FAULT
Lines Accuse Each Other OF
Holding Cars Too Long.
CLEARING HOUSE SUGGESTED
Inenicfent Handling of TranspOrta-
ton Facilities Causes Great Loss IN
Western Grain observation-disclosures
PrOuty BIames RaiIways-Says Con-
gress Can Prevent Trouble.

Chicago. Dec 21.-The following plans
were suggested by railroad witnesses be-
fore Interstate Commerce Commissioners
Harlan and Lane here to-day to remedy
the freight car famine throughout the
country;
A car clearing house. including every
railroad in its membership, that freight
cars may be at home on any line and
available for use whenever and wherever
unloaded
An increase in the per diem charge to
railroads for retaining foreign cars be
yond a specified time limit
Adoption Of a reciprocal demurrage law
requiring railroads to pay a penalty for
refusal to furnish cars TO shipper within
a reasonable time from the date on
which they are ordered.
Reduction Of the free time allowed ship
pers to unload cars.
Improved terminals in districts where
traffic congestion exists.
Railroads Increase Facilities.
SlasOn Thompson. of the Railway News
Bureau. told the commissioners that the
Chicago railroads increased their car ca
pacity SIS per cent, the number of their
cars $50 per cent, the number of their
locomotives AS per cent. and the traction
power of their lines 80 per cent between
1900 and 1905.
Secretary George ". Hotchkiss Of the
Illinois Lumber Dealers Association, said
that the lumber dealers have less trou-
bic in getting cars than in getting them
moved after they are loaded.
A. L. Berry. of the Berry Coal and
Coke Company, supplemented this state
ment with the assertion that it takes his
company from ten 10 twenty DAYS 10 get
a loaded car out of a terminal point
THE Pennsylvania he added, mas
not furnished cars 70 small coal dealers
for months, but fill orders Of large min
ers in Pennsylvania"
Commissioners Harlan and Lane ad-
journed the hearing late this afternoon
and left for Washington tonight.
Grain Men Lose Heavily.
Kansas City, No, Dec. 2l.-Grain meT
in Western Kansas and oklahoma. and
shippers in the South have gone out OF
business because the railroads have beer
unable, or have refused to handle theil
shipments.
Hundreds OF thousands Of dollars have
been lost in various communities in this
region during the past two months. ana
greater losses are yet to come. Kausa.
City has suffered a decline Of 5000 car
loads of grain on last years figures. Thi:
decrease viii be larger before the yeal
ends.
Farmers are Offering grain at ruinous
prices. but cannot find takers Mean
whine there are hundreds of empty car:
tied up by incompetent railway manage
ments in the yards Of Kansas City and
smaller towns in Kansas, oklahoma, and
Texas.
Prouty BIames Railways.
This was what was shown at the hear
ing of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. which closed a two days session to-
day Commissioner Prouty. who conduct
ed the hearing. said that there was nc
question but what the railroads are to b6
blamed for the lack Of transportation IA
cilities He took occasion, however, tC
censure shippers. and said shortage was il
a measure due to the fact that small deal
ers rely upon the railroads 10 furnish cars
10 do the work they themselves should ID
by maintaining elevators and storage
yards.
Il developed that several roads wer,
willing 10 furnish plenty of cars Tor ship
rnents consigned 10 common points, bu
that they would not allow their cars to b'
loaded for foreign points. Some action bl
Congress providing for an interchange o
cars, Mr. Prouty believes, would proven
a recurrence Of the present trouble.