The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-08-19
SHIPPERS
TO HELP RAILROAD
Local Firms Told to Aid in
Preventing Any Possible
Car Shortage.

mat the quantity OF tralIlc Delns |
moved by railroads today is enormous, |
and that railroad facilities will be !
taxed TO the utmost this fall. was the |
statement emanating from the local |
Pennsylvania railroad offices today.
The Pennsylvania railroad has in |
structed all its local freight solicitors |
to urge shippers TO assist the rail- |
roads in their efforts TO prevent any |
car shortage. The Importance OF
prompt loading and unloading of cars
is being impressed upon shippers, who
are also being asked TO cooperate
with the railroads to prevent any con-
gestion of traffic.
The Pennsylvania, in pursuance of
its policy in such cases of taking early
steps 10 preclude, if possible. any
likelihood of a car shortage on its
lines. is advising its patrons 10 have
freight ready for loading when cars
are placed on sidings, and is urg-
ing them to load all cars as near TO
capacity as practicable, in order to
get the greatest possible service out
of each car used.
The prediction by the Pennsylvania
of heavy fall traffic is especially in
teresting at this time. following. as il
does, n statement just issued by w.
A Carrot. chairman of the Associa-
ton of Western Railways, in which
he makes an appeal to industrial traf-
fic managers and commercial organi-
cations. Mr.. Garrett says:
Warning by Garrett.
THE time is here for the railways
and shippers of the United States to
begin active and energetic prepare
lions to prevent a car shortage. The
! indications are that if they do not be-
gin such preparations at once they will
be confronted next October with the
worst situation that has existed since
| October, 1907, just before the panic.
! No railway man or shipper needs to be
told what that situation was. Railway
facilities were inadequate to move the
business Yards and terminals were
congested, and heavy loss to the rail-
| ways, the shippers, and the public re-
suited
Conditions that are likely to cause
heavy demand for. and rapid reduc-
ton in the supply of, cars exist. The
| amount of traffic handled varies great
ly during different parts of the year.
! During about four months, beginning
around October LIST, there are apt to
! be shortages. This is owing chiefly
to the fact that that is the season of
heaviest crop movement. Now, the
crop prospects in the West this year
are unusually good. That helps to
make the prospect of a car shortage
unusually bad.
IF the bad situation now threaten
ing is to be averted, the managers of
the railroads must have the hearty
support and cooperation of the ship
pers and consignees of the country.
The shippers and consignees can
give such support and cooperation in
at least two ways:
"By moving all lumber, coal, ce
ment, and other freight that they can
within the next few weeks, instead of
delaying and throwing it all on the
railways when they are staggering I'M
der the crop movement, the CONNER
cial organizations of the cities and
towns can help greatly by urging their
members to move all goods as early
as possible.
Shippers and consignees can great
ly help themselves, the railways and
all other shippers and consignees, by
| loading and unloading all cars deliver
| ed to them as expeditiously as prac-
| ticable. Every time the loading or
unloading of a car is needlessly de-
layed, the available supply of cars is
needlessly reduced; and no shipper
| has any right to complain that he is
not furnished enough cars, if he is by
his own acts needlessly and wrongful
! ly reducing the available supply of
| cars Commercial organizations can
not render a better service to their
members than by urging on them the
need for prompt loading and unload
ing. Cars are furnished for transpor-
| tation. not for storage; and every one
used for storage reduces the number
available for transportation.
Shippers can help greatly by load
ing all cars to as near their capacity
as practicable. The more freight
there is loaded in each the less cars
will be required to move all of the
! freight There has been a great deal
! of talk in recent years about the need
| for better cooperation between rail-
ways and shippers. Here is a matter
regarding which they can heartily and
theoretically cooperate to the very
great gain of both