The Washington times., 1912-12-04
CAR SHORTAGE IS
TO Be STOPPED
BY PROUTY BILL
Iowan Has Plan to Penalize
Roads Whose Stock Is Not
Quickly Unloaded.

Congressman Prouty 81 Iowa intro
duced bill in the House today to re.
!ieve the serious situation caused ny
the widespread shortage Of cars. Judge
Prouty says that present conditions are
tntolerable, and that the shortage Is
most serious In the coal. lumber, and
grain trade.
The gtst Of the bill 10 that railroad
companies shall require consignees 10
unload their freight In Ave days. dc.
murrsge or no demurrage. and that l..
the railroad company does not enforce
this right. 1t shall be liable In damages
to the person ordering cars and not
receiving them.
Judge Prouty says 5000 coal cars In
seacosst cities are tied up. loaded with
coal. the consignee preferring to pay
demurrage and use then for warehouse
purposes rather than unload and store
the shipments. In the lumber and groin
trade are like situations.
Excuses Are Made.
Describing the general shortage of
cars. Judge Prouty said:
THE railroad people say that the
shortage In cars does not result from
the railroads not having sufficient roll
ing stock. but from the use to which
the cars are put.
''Tt the present time It is almost Inn
possible TO get cars to furnish coal to
local consumers in New ENGLAND. IT
sidetracks at sea coast points, 50.00O
loaded cars of coal. on which the con-
signee prefers to paw demurrage rather
than unload and store the coal. In the
cars for the handling OF the grain crop.
Thousands Of cars OF grain. sacked. are
lying In the South and cannot be moved
to shelter for want OF cars.
writing for fifteen or twenty days with
out receiving = single car. The rail-
road companies claim they have. plenty
Of cars. but that they are standing on
leans, loaded with cotton for export. on
| which the handler prefers to pay de-
murrage of 81 per diem car rather
than unload and store the cotton.
Cars As Warehouses.
THE shipper has found that It is
cheaper to use cars for warehouse than
II is to build warehouses. 1t 10 said
there are now standing on the tracks at
New Orleans 5000 box cars that have
been 20 held from ten to thirty days.
while the business OF the whole country
IL paralyzed by lack Of cars to move
pressing traffic.
This condition Is tntolerable. 1t IL
tolera led by the terminal railroad COM
many because 1t IL only. required to pay
q cents per diem for the cars OF other
roads when In use on It's line. while
IL receives one dollar per diem demur-
rage. Then the longer the car stands
on the side track. the more money the
holding road will make.
"The purpose OF my bill Is to require
railroad companies to take their roll
INK stock out Of the warehouse service
and put It into the legitimate service
of transportation. The gtst OF the
whole bill Is that railroad companies
shall require consignees to unload their
| freight within five days. demurrage or
no demurrage. and II the railroad com.
| nany does not enforce this right, Il
shall be responsible In damages to per.
sons ordering cars and not receiving
them on that account.
Proposes New Bill.
"I expect to follow this bill by an
other, clothing tho Interstate Com.
,nerce Commission with authority to In.
vcstigate the rolling stock Of railroads
to ascertain II they have sufficient roll
ing stock to meet demands, and II the,
| lind that they have not, to clothe then
| with power to require additional eauip
ment A common carrier must becom,
! n common carrier. and provide reason
! able facilities for this transpOrta tion
! This Is the railroad problem Of tn,
present time