Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-11-08
refrigerators forX:potatoes are very


discouraging. Seventy per cent of the
entire potato loading originates in ter
ritory which gives our line an average
of less than 100 mile haul. A very
small percentage of the refrigerator
cars put into the fruit and potato bust
ness in the fall get back in time for a
second trip. This company owned
about 100 refrigerator cars until this
season; $50 new ones were added this
year. Connecting lines that get the
long haul have been called upon re-
peatedly for assistance, but apparently
the reason for not getting more assist
ance is caused by unusually heavy crops
in other sections of the country, requir-
ing that class of cars"
George T. Sade of Minneapolis, vice
president of the Northern Pacific rail-
way system, today telegraphed the COM
mission, in part, as follows:-
Potatoes from this territory are
largely shipped to points south and
southwest, 400 or more miles off our
line. Should we place our own equip
ment in this service we should soon
be drained of cars to take care of our
local business. Despite this, we have
permitted approximately 300 of our
cars to go through to far distant points
on other lines and have placed orders
weeks ahead with connecting lines to
furnish equipment for potato loading;
but orders have been only partly filled.
We are permitting shippers to use our
cars for the movement of potatoes be-
tween points on our line, but must de-
pend upon our connections to furnish
the refrigerator cars now required on
account of cold weather for off-line
loading"
The only encouraging report came
from H. M. Pearce, freight traffic
manager of the Northwestern line. He
telegraphed to the commission from St.
Paul as follows:-
1--WE are doing exceedingly well for
this season of the year in furnishing
refrigerator equipment for the move
ment of potatoes from points on our
line to any point on the Northwest
ern system. We are using our very
best efforts to obtain the necessary
equipment for the movement of bust
ness to points beyond the Northwestern
road. "
G. r. Huntington, general manager
of the 500 Line, telegraphed from
Minneapolis that his road had put
practically all available refrigerator
cars to hauling potatoes, and was max
ing every effort to get cars from con-
Meeting lines.
The embargo which has been main
tanned by the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway company upon the leading of
coal equipment for points beyond Toll
edo has been lifted by that company
for period of one week. This en-
barge was imposed because of the diff
ficulty which the road was experience
ing in having its coal cars returned
by the Michigan connecting lines, over
which they We're being shipped. The
interstate commerce commission was
today advised by General Freight Agent
F. d. Hotchkiss of the Chesapeake
and Ohio of the temporary lifting of
the embargo because the Michigan con-
nections were now returning the cars
more freely, and it is hoped that the
free return movement of empty coal
cars will continue and make the relief
| permanent.
The commission is taking an active
interest in the freight car shortage
situation and has advised various roads
to tighten up their rules for enforcing
the prompt return of cars, pointing out
that unless this is done there will be a
serious car famine which may seriously
affect business. The free movement of
coal cars regarded by the commission
as absolutely essential, as a shortage of
these cars at this time of the year
could send up the price of coal and de-
: prive number of industrial establish
ments of fuel.