Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-12
CAR SHORTAGE IS SERIOUS
Railway Commission Reports Result Of lie
Investigation.
DEMAND MORE THAN DOUBLE SUPPLY
condition e. Ascribed 60 the Faet that
Cars Do Net Arrive ne They
should from Eastern
Connections.
DEMAND MORE THAN DOUBLE SUPPLY


LINCOLN. Neb., March u.-(speciai.)-
The railway commissioners, in response 70
the resolutions passed In both house and
senate asking for an investigation OF the
car supply on the Nebraska railroads with
tbarticuar reference 70 cars available for
ythe shipment OF grain have prepared a re-
port for the legislature giving the condition
found on March at D. m. The commits
sion adopted the method Of friendly in
quiry Of the ohicials Of the various roads
and report that all possible assistance was
furnished them in their inquiry. The serv-
ices OF u. O. Powell of Lincoln were Sc
cured as n man who has had large expert
ence in the grain and railroad business.
The report says that on the date mem
toned there we're on all the railroads in the
state S,2Os box cars as follows Empty cars
at stations, 516. Loaded box cars at sta
tons. 1.5O1. Empty box cars in trains, 5S1.
Bad order box cars on hand, sos During
the same twenty-four hours as cars OF
grain were loaded and 2,161 box cars or
dered. II will be seen that II the orders
for cars were the same the following twen-
ty-four hours and all OF the empty cars,
both at stations and in trains. could be set
for loading there would be 1,s7 against an
order for S161 or a shortage for the day OF
LIZA cars To the question how many empty
cars were received from connecting trains
on this date the answer from all lines waa
none"
The demand for cars on each road in the
state and their ability to supply the same
az given by themselves was as follows;
ST. Joseph g. Grand Island had orders for
81 and had 81 emp,les at stations.
Union Pacific had orders for go and had
IO4 empties at stations.
Rooh TalanH had ordara for TX and had
100 empties at stations.
Burlington had orders for 1.467 and had
81 empties at stations.
Missouri Pacific had orders for eos anc
had 81 empties at stations
Omaha road had orders for s45 and had
g empties at stations.
Northwestern had orders for 40 and had
70 ampties at stations.
The short-car situation was further EN-
phasixed by inquiry at the office Of th'
Illinois Central (which IL one OF the llnei
depended upon for getting Nebraska prod
ucts to the south) From this line the com
mission learned they had orders for tina
day, March 5, for SOL cars from OmahS
and 159 from Council Bluffs.
Tho commission informs the legislator,
there is apparently a heavy demand 70
cars in this territory that il not being sup
piled. The commission gives It as its opin
Ion that from information at hand tn
shortage IL largely due 10 the fact tina
the roads in Nebraska territory are not re
ceiving cars from connecting lines or from
the eastern divisions of their own proper
tionate 70 the demands of the state. Tn
commission is investigating further and VII
present the result OF Its inquiries and con
illusions at a later date II 50 desired.
The report 10 signed by three member
of the commission, Robert Cowell bein
here from Omaha for the consideration o
she report Mr.. Coweii. whose service
were secured in gathering the data in tn
report, is a prominent miller OF Nebraska
Rnd at present member OF the excise boar
gIof Lincoln.