The San Francisco call., 1907-01-20
CAR SHORTAGE DUE
To ECONOMY
Northern Pacific's Equip
mentInadequate to Handle
the Output Of Lumber
HILLS UNJUST POLICY

TACOMA, Jan. l9.-Investigation into
the lumber car shortage by Interstate
Commerce Commissioner Franklin K
Lane today developed facts showing
the Northern Pacific equipment to be
entirely Inadequate to handle the lum-
Der products OF Western washington
Sawmin owners told how small con-
Germs were gradually being forced into
bankruptcy, how the larger ones had
suffered losses which would reach into
hundreds Of thousands OF dollars, and
how thousands OF mechanics had been
thrown out Of employment by the fail
ure Of the Northern Pacific Railway 20
provide cars enough TO enable the 75o
woodworking plants on their line 10
market their product.
At the same time the sawmiIl opera
tives praised the strenuous efforts OF
local officials OF the Northern Pacific
10 relieve the situation They said that
while the Tacoma railroad men had
done al they could TO ala the mills, the
fault lay in mismanagement by the
higher officers in the East.
General James n Ashton OF Tacoma
represented the lumber interests, as
sisted by Austin E. Griffith OF Seattle.
More than forty lumber manufacturers
attended the hearing. On the side OF
ern Pacinc officials were James b. Kerr,
assistant general counsel of the rail-
road. with headquarters in st. Paul: E.
j. Cannon, division counsel, Of Spokane
J. S. Woodwork, traffic manager, OF
St Paul and Third Vice President c,
n Levey. Assistant General Superin-
fendent B. z. Palmer. General Western
Freight Agent Henry Blakeiey, Super
intendent W. c. Albee of the Pacific di-
vision, and a large array OF minor OFF,
oaals and clerks
LANE QUESTIONS ALBEE
Cannon conducted the cross-examin-
etion Of all the witnesses presented by
the lumber interests.
Superintendent Albee was the only
witness called upon as a representative
OF the Northern Pacific. He was asked
by Commissioner Lane to explain why
a number OF foreign cars used by the
EortherT Pacific were routed by the
raslrqag instead Of by the shipper. At
torney Cannon objected 10 Albee being
Questioned. asserting that the company
was not ready to present its case.
sYou have no case" was Commission
~ Lanes answer You are not de-
fendants in this action. as this Is sim
ply an inquiry instituted by the COM
mission upon its own initiative I want
Mr. Albee 10 be heard because ] desire
70 get at the facts in the case.
Al the request OF General Ashton, on
behalf of leading lumbermen owning
mills in the northwestern part Of the
State. the investigation was continued
20 Tuesday by the Commissi oner, 10 be
resumed al the County Court rooms IN
Seattle.
The testimony presented by the mill
operators examined in behalf OF the
lumhermen was alike in the essential
facts OF a car shortage and delayed de-
livery OF shipments.
JAMES J. BILL BLAMED
Details Of the testimony in which
Commissioner lane indicated that ne
was especially interested, and concern
ing which he questioned witnesses
closely, related TO the policy alleged
20 be fathered by James j. Hill Of al
lowing cars TO accumulate on the side
tracks and then running long trains
slowly across the continent The man.
ufacturerg said that this policy, short
sighted and unjust to the shippers, had
caused the car shortage TO be more dis
astrous than IL otherwise would have
been.
Lane was greatly interested also IN
the testimony relating TO the enforced
observance by the lumber manufac-
turers Of certain routings for their
shipments provided by the railroad.
The millmen said that 50 per cent OF
the cars used by tho Northern Pacific
for the transportation of lumber traffic
belonged 70 other railroads. All Of
these cars had 10 be returned East by
the same route over which they came,
END unless the n,illiaen had shipments
going in that direction they found II
necessary TO adopt the policy OF hold
ing the cars and paying demurrage
charges until they could obtain orders
al
the line Of the railroad owning the
cars. IN other words. cars were Sc
scarce that IL was better 10 accept
them at random and make the orders
nt the cars than TO release them and
await the delivery OF suitable cars.