Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-11-26
THE SCARCITY OF FREIGHT CARS

short time ago the remark was made in these
columns that "ths year, talk of shortage would
music to the not only OF railroad officers but
of most business men also Since that time somewhat
unexpectedly the band has begun to play, says the Rail
way Age Gazette But while most people inclined to
welcome the sound the herald of returning prosperity
there dscords If business conditions during
the past years had not been such that the roads
more worried about the large actual number of surplus
cars than about possible shortages of equipment they
might have had more money to buy before
they were needed AS has happened the revival OF
business has succeeded the long period Of depression
suddenly that the large surpuses have melted away
most over night and shortages appearing in many
parts Of the counIyShortages OF box cars IN Central
Freight Association territory and the Northwest and OF
coal in Trunk Line and Central Freight Association
territory.
The monthly bulletin of the Committee on Relations
between Railroads of the American Railway Association
for November showed shortage of 26628 cars and
surplus of 52867 the smallest net surplus since the fall
of 1913 the surplus having been reduced by 3544 IN
October and by 10328 in September For 80 per cent Of
the time since 1907 the American Railway Association has
reported large Surpuses but now the shippers are ng
the newspapers with complaints because they cannot get
cars and the Interstate Commerce Commission and some
of the state commissions are issuing the usual circulars
urging the railroads and shippers to cooperate by hand
ling and releasing cars as promptly as possible Inc In
teState Commerce Commission also urges the railroads
to endeaVor to improve their methods OF operation OF
terminals
All of this sounds very much like old times but some
of the conditions which are at the bottom of the present
situation emphasize the need of remedy different from
those that usually suggested The failure OF car sup
ply ordinarily failure of movement In the pres
ent it is largely caused by shortage of vessel
ty result Of the European war; There has been Tor
some time serious congestion of freight at New York
and to less extent at other Atlantic and Gulf ports The
movement of export grain and of many other articles for
export including materials is very heavy, and the
trunk lines have many miles of side tracks at the ports
filled with delayed cars 1t is reported that over $4,000
cars nearly twice the amount of the shortage reported
for the entire country thus tied up in the vicinity Of
New York alone and recently estimated that there
was ready for export at New York harbor five times
much freight as the available vessels could take.
The situation has been aggravated by the closing of
the Panama Canal by slides since September TO- While
the Panama Railroad has transshpped large amount
of the freight that had started through the canal before
the slides occurred the closing Of the canal has resulted
in much congestion of freight at the Gulf ports and the
number of boats that have taken their cargoes around
South America the Cape of Good Hope has appreciaby
diminished the vessel capacity available at the United
States ports.