The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1907-01-04
TOO MUCH BUSINESS
RAILROADS UNABLE TO PROMPT.
~ HANDLE ALL FREIGHT
OFFERED.


49, =
The bother OF the operating depart
mentor the Atchison, Topeka q San
"a re railway. and OF all western rail
roads for that matter, just now. Is the
lack OF equipment to handle the crops
OF Kansas and Oklahoma and OF the
west generally. The congestion seems
10 grow worse instead Of better. New
locomotives and new box cars come
from the manufacturers weekly, but
freight continues to pile up at sta
lions.
A Few days ago, to move perishable
freight which was accommodating at
Chicago and Kansas City, hurry or
der was made to send to those cities
all the empty box cars available. It
was 2 case OF necessity and the order
was obeyed on all divisions. The re-
suit was Increased congestion OF
freight IN Kansas ana Oklahoma.
However, the congestion has been re-
ileyed somewhat at chicago ana Kan
sas Clty, ana soon these cars VIII pc
available west OF the Missouri river.
IN the meantime. shippers along the
line have been complaining and the
local newspapers are full OF the sub
1ect But the railway company is 40
ing the best It can. II cannot per-
form the impossible The existing
condition is something unprecedented
tn the history of railroad transporta-
ton. For instance, on the Oklahoma
division OF the Santa Fe alone the
cotton shipments SO far this year
have been 1900 bales IN excess OF
shipments in the same period last
year This means the use OF 24O cars
more for this commodity than were
used Tor the same purpose last year;
this In territory served by COM
paratively short section OF road. In
corn, ana wheat, the increase IS even
greater.
The trouble, however, is not to be
charged wholly to lack of equipment.
Consignees might relieve the conges-
ton II they would unload cars ex-
peditiously. For instance, there are
to-day $4,000 loaded cars In Galveston
~ aiting for consignees to empty
tho d turn them back into commits
sion. = not the fault of the rail-
road. Mr. rtschnitt, manager of
maintenance an tsportation OF the
Southern Paclnc. v. has been study
ing conditions. nn1s that in period
OF ten Gays tne shippers held cars
eight daysLgFe to the roads only
two Gays use OF them, He estimates
that II the shippers had given to the
railroad the use OF these cars three
days 1t would have been equal to the
use OF Sl,OOo cars. Here Is a thought
Tor shippers.
Speaking OF the condition, Mr.. ]. =.
Hurley. General Manager OF the Santa
Fe, said to-day:
(: The car situation, particularly with
reference to box-cars, has been the
cause OF much anxiety In the operat-
ing department OF the Santa Fe for
the past sixty, and especially, the last
thirty days. This has been due to
several causes; notably:
t<Af Ah~cAAA'J " cDs'~>AA eA~S *>ee~A- -
OF equipment that had been delivered
to other lines in the regular inter-
change OF business.
(B) Delay of consignees In unload
ang Of equipment.
About one-third of the available
tox-car equipment OF the Atchison,
Topeka G Santa Fe Railway Company
is now on foreign lines. 1t is of first
Importance to the largest number Of
people served by Railway Company
that merchandise loading shall be
taken care of. These are commodities
that are necessary for the sustenance
and comfort of the people
"The latter part of November the
car situation became SO acute in the
larger cities that 1t was necessary to
forego grain loading for period and
take empties from the grain district
to Kansas City, Chicago and other
large merchandise shipping points for
this loading.