Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-24
The Car Shortage
Question Discussed
Department of Commerce
/. and Labor Finds Cars are
Investigation on
Washington Bureau of
the Ottumwa Courier.
Washington D. C.. ian. %.


Startling revelations regarding the
car shortage were made public today
by the department of commerce and
labor. Its Investigations show that the
mucn-yaunted car shortage is no short
age at all. It's carefully gathered sta
tistics slow that smaller quantity Of
the great staples of this country was
moved during November of 1906
Aakthan during the same month in 1905.
With the great elevators at Duluth
and Minneapolis and other shipping
points yawning with wheat the deliv-
cries Mt fifteen interior markets fell
below the deliveries of November,
1905. by the great figure of 1850, 900
bushels. With the children of the
great northwest shivering and crying
for coal, the shipments of anthracite
from the eastern producing regions
fell below the figures of November,
1905, by nearly 100000 tons. This
showing is absolutely convincing re-
garding the car supply. 1t answers the
question Of the interstate commerce
commission, which, even at the end of
last week was willing to admit that
there was probably an actual shortage
of cars. But in clearing up this mooted
IiS I0SSldtlUliS CltIlS even
deeper queries Why is it that in No
vemher, 1906. with the interstate COM
merce commission using its utmost en-
deavors to relieve the tension, the rail
roads could not handle as much freight
as in the corresponding period of 1905?
And answer this question as they may,
the government agents who have drift
ed back here from the inquiries in the
northwest are forced to admit the
ground Tor these two questions:
"Are the railroads. stirred up by the
trust-busting and misunderstanding leg
iSlation and court action of the past
year, and resentful of the enlarged
powers of the interstate commerce
commission, seeking to give the coun-
try one grand lesson of their power?
What is the Cause?
"Are the railroads guilty of gross
miSnlanagement. and of a lack of mu.
tual confidence, which is fatal to the
smooth flow of interstate commerce."
That there is fair ground for both
these questions has been admitted by
man who is in position to speak with
full knowledge. if anyone is. His
name is withheld because of his con-
fidential relations with the govern
ment. But that he knows whereof he
speaks is evidenced by the fact that
he has peen going through the north
west With his ears close to the ground,
prying into this alleged car shortage.
He has talked with all conditions OF
railroad employees and shippers, and he
had made deep investigation on his
own account And after closely follow
Ing the hearings of the commissioners,
he was forced to admit that the explain
Rtiops thus far offered do not explain.
The railroads were laboring under
the same or even worse handicaps in
1905. than in November, 1906. There
was the same lack of terminal facili-
ties; there was the same shortage OF
motive power. 1t is fair to presume
that the number of freight cars is not
less in 1906 than it was in 1905. More
over, during the preceding months OF
1906 the railroads were actually able
to move more in 1906 than in 1905. Tc
be sure the heavy business of Septem
Der and October may have had some
thing to do with the tie-up which fol
lowed. But was that effect inevitable!
Could not the railroads, by careful
management. and by cooperation, have
kept the freight moving at least as
well as they did in 1905? These are
the questions which the commissioners
are forced to meet squarely, as the re
suit OF their hearings and as a re
suit of the statistical information
which has just been secured.
1t is a well known fact that the rail
alton which becomes effective with
DIS have sought to discredit the leg