The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-02-27
RAILROADS LACK CAPACITY.

RAILROADS LACK CAPACITY.
The failure of railroads to perform
their full duty as common carriers has
inflicted incalculable loss upon ship.
pers of livestock and other commodi.
ties. A considerable portion of the
Montana cattle and sheep which the
wner intended to market last sea.
con, but were unable to secure the
necessary cars, has been exposed to
the rigors OF a sewers winter, and 1t is
believed a large percentage of loss
has occurred in these focks and herds.
The effect Of this lack of capacity on
the part of railroads is discussed by
the Drovers Journal to this effect:
The interstate commerce commission
has sen to President Roosevelt its
findings in the investigation of rail.
road conditions to discover the ~
OF the coal famine In North Dakota.
It's findings show that the railroads
had such an abundance of westbound
traffic at the head of the lakes that
ars were not available for the carry
ing of coal to North Dakota. In other
words, there was so much freight that
yielded better revenue in the tariff
rates to the roads that the needs of the
northwest for the coal to protect Its
people from cold weather were ignored
that the railroads might increase their
profits by carrying freight that would
bring in greater earnings.
This seems to show plainly enough
that II is high time that the govern.
ment be given q good measure OF su.
pervisory power over the operation
of great railroads. that are the only
means of carrying the necessaries of
life to the inhabitants of many great
sections of our country, dependent up
on the supplies brought to them from
great distances, and as an outlet for
the products with which to purchase
these supplies.
The findings show plainly that the
equipment of the great railroads Of
the country is wholly inadequate to
handle the traffic that any year of
prosperity produces. 1t shows that
the earnings of the great railroads are
being devoted primarily to paying
dividends on tremendously inflated
and generously watered stock, rather
than to providing the necessary
equipment to take care of the rapidly
expanding business of the country.
Though the grain crops OF the coal
famine region scarcely exceed those of
1905, and do not reach that of one
preceding year, the roads are crippled
for lack of equipment.
This lack OF capacity is plainly
shown by a section of the report,
which reveals the situation as fol-
lows:
"Fifty million bushels of grain, as
nearly as can be estimated, remains
on the farms or in the country eleva.
tors of North Dakota. But 80 per
cent. of the crop has been shipped.
The country or line elevators at q
large number of country stations are
full. Some of these reached their ca.
pacity as early az September, and
still contain the grain they then held.
Thousands OF bushels of wheat are
lying at this time covered with snow
in open bins built beside the railroad
track.
"The farmer cannot sell because the
country dealer cannot buy. The coun'
try dealer cannot buy because the
country elev ator is still full. The
country elevator remains full because
the railroad has not moved the grair
from the country elev ator to the ter
minal elevator. The terminal eleva
tors of Duluth. Superior and Mime
apolis, which act as great reservoirs
for line elev atOrs, are almost empty
and at no time during the season hav'
they been filled to more than one-thirt
Of their capacity"
President Elliott, Of the Northern
Pacific, and President Hill, of tn
Great Northern, explain by simpl,
saying, ut Is q case Of trying Il
force a three.inch stream through
one-inch nozzle, and we r endeavor
ing to bore an inch hole with q hall
inch augur," which may all be YER
humorous to the managers, but 1t is
serious case to the farmers, who's
families are freezing for need of COT
and whose crops are wasting an
spelling for lack Of cars to afford a
outlet to the great market centers.
LEASING THE RANGE.
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