The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-11-01
INEFFICIENT FREIGHT SER
VICE.

CDlRt9liOll, anu DtiICi uliodlloldI-
tory freight service is at hand, the
following from the Georgia Rail
road Commission, will not be un-
interesting, either locally or gener-
ally:
THE large carriers in Georgia
have been adding to their equip.
ment, and have adopted many
precautionary methods for the
hauling Of traffic. But the Rail
road Commission desired to adj
wise shippers and receivers OF
freight that they too have obliga-
tons in the matter, and should
aid the carriers as far as in their
power in keeping the cars NOV
ing" and in loading to capacity,
when possible.
While certain free time is
allowed for loading and unload
ing cars, this does not necessarily
mean that it ought to be con-
sumed in every instance and re-
CARELESS Of every other consider
alton or circumstance.
Cars should be loaded and I'M
loaded as promptly as possible
after being placed. 1t is not fair
to the carriers or to other shippers
to hold them for forty-eight hours,
just because one has that much
free time by law, when they could
inst as well be handled in six or
twelve hours.
Harmonious cooperation be-
tween shippers, consignees and
carriers, in all Of their relations
and transactions, has been the
earnest desire Of this Commission,
and it especially urges such in the
handling Of freight equipment for
the next few months.
This is a mutual duty, which
the Commission desires shall be
recognized by all parties"
The foregoing strikes the key
note to present day conditions,
and is one Of the most sensible
and practical suggestions on the
subject that has emanated from
such a source-being particularly
valuable and forceful on account
of the fact that it does much to-
ward correcting the popular i'm
preston that Railroad Commits
sions were originally and primari-
ly designed as partisan affairs,
instead of courts of fair and i'm
partial deIiberation.
Whatever may have been the
dereliCtions of the Railroads in
the past, and however just or I'M
just the antagonisms they may
have engendered, it cannot be
denied that all the great railway
systems of this country are now
making the most faithful en-
deavors to win the hearty good
will and friendship of the public,
and the best results for both will
only be fully realized when this
and effort becomes
thoroughly mutual, and each is
sue or contention that arises is
met and handled in this manner.
Take the present for instance,
with a general car shortage fac
us. The popular impression
is that the roads have done little
or nothing to meet such condi-
and that it is a matter of
neglect and Indifference
with them.
Yet an almost casual analysis
of the trouble will show right here
in our own section, that a few
years since it was the rule to find
gins of ten to fifteen bales of cot
ton capacity, daily, requiring from
three to four or five months to
gin a crop, that these have been
replaced by gins of from one to
hundred bales capacity daily
with the result hat the bulk of
the entire years crop-both cot
ton and seed, are rendered the
roads within a period of 80 to 40
Has it occurred to the impatient,
thus inconvenienced, that even il
sufficient cars could be provided
to accommodate all this traffic as
oS rendered, that enough
and terminals could hardly
be provided to accommodate it, and
that congestion beyond anything
yet conceived of would be newt
lble-on account of the inability
Of the mills, congresses, and other
to promptly receive and
release this number Of cars within
such a period?
Fancy that every institution do
ng business in Greenwood should
De expected and urged by an i'm
patient and insistent public to
make ample provision in space,
general facilities and
labor, for handling an en-.
ire years business within a space
II 30 to 40 days, this to remain
practically idle the remainder Of
he year-does anyone believe for
/ moment that such an arrange
nent could be effected in any
manner that would be as practic-
ible, satisfactory or inexpensive