The Mena weekly star., 1907-09-05
CAR SHORTAGE QUESTION
Interstate Commerce Commissioner Lane Starts on a Western Tour
 of Investigation.
TRIP WILL EXTEND TO PACIFIC COAST
Mir. Lane Will Also Look Into the Mat ter of How the Railroads Are Obey ing the New Rate Lsw-To Talk Personally With James J. Hill at St. Paul.

Persona'iy WNn James J. rIiH ~ ot.
 Paul.
 Washington, Sept 4r--Interstate Commerce Commissioner Franklin K. Lane left Washington Tuesday for . protracted tour of the West which is likely to bear important results. In addition to looking into the matter of how thoroughly certain big railway systems have been lying up to the anti-rebate provisions of the rate law, Mir. Lane will devote particular atten- tion to the car shortage situation with view to preventing recurrence of the deplorable conditions that existed last winter.
 Perhaps the car shortage feature ought to be given prominence in con- nection with Mir. Lanes errand, as his investigators. together with the earn estness of the railroads in keeping their promises to furnish better serv- ice to shippers, may have great deal to do with indicating the need of fur ther legislation affecting transporta- tion at the coming session of Con- gross. The commissioner undoubtedly will use his influence to have the car riers meet the demands of the Vest ern cothtry and prevent if possible agitation to force more drastic legis- lation than already has been enacted. Mir. Lane will reach Chicago Wednesday afternoon and will spend Thursday in the latter city discussing conditions with general officers with some of the lines centering there. He then will go to St. Paul. for a confer ence with officers of the Northern Pa ciflc and Great Northern roads. intend ing to talk personally with James J. Hill if the latter be at home. From St. Paul he will go to Spokane. Seattle and Portland, and thence down the Pa cific coast looking minutely into af- | fairs embracing the Hartman lines, the Union and Southern Pacific. The whole trip will consume i've or six weeks, the car shortage situation af- | fecting cotton and lumber in the south being looked into on the return jour- ney.
 Agents of the Interstate commerce | commission quietly have been fnvesti- gating the observance of the new law | provisions by the railroads of the far west and Commissioner Lane will meet
 them and get their reports.
 'I am going to look into the car shortage matter as thoroughly as pos | sible," said Commissioner Lane Tues day. Anything I can do to inform the railroads of conditions so that they | can meet the demands of shippers will do The government already has ! set an example to the people by order ing its fuel for next winter early. and I if coal famine is to be prevented the | needed.
 Conditions have partially been met | already by the wholesale dealers at
 Duluth who have put in large supplies
 of coal by boat, but the coal must be
 shipped from there to the west by rail.
 The railroads have complained that | dealers have not put in their orders
 early enough, and that they have not
 unloaded fast enough. Still the rail
 roads have promised more cars. and to what extent they have fulfilled their l promises remains to be seen. Last year the railroads were taken
 unawares with regard to the equip
 ment that would be needed to move
 the crops. This year the early cx-
 pectation was that the crop movement would call for far less attention, but
 it develops that the wheat crop after | all is large. and there is danger in
 consequence of car shortage unless special care be taken.
 Tt is important that coal be ordered
 not only before cold weather sets in. but before the crop movement begins. the latter port of October and Novem- ber The railroads have been building
 new track. establishing new division
 points and extending their yards and
 switching facilities. I don't know to
 what extent this has been done, as the railroad officials now manage their
 roads, but it may be possible to make ! suggestions that help both the roads
 and the shippers by reducing the chances of car shortage to minimum.
 Unless the railroads are able to give the shippers better treatment
 than they have in the past simetimes there is almost sure to result agita-
 ton for legislation that will give the commission greater power than it now has. Much of the restrictive railroad
 legislation in the individual states that
 has been enacted recently is due to the
 reflex action of grievances complained of by shippers"