New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-08
CAR SHORTAGE IS
BECOMING ACUTE
Wyoming Valley Produc-
ing More Freight than
Railroads Can Move
South Bethlehem, Penn, Nou. :.

South Bethlehem, Penn, Nou. :.
The two most difficult things to find
in the Wyoming Valley would be an
idle freight car and an idle man. The
car famine in this section is becoming
so acute that even the coal companies
controlled by the railroads have great
difficulty in getting the rolling stock
that they need. II the roads could add
100000 cars 10 their equipment imme-
diately they would earn enough with
them before the year ends to pay a
large portion OF their cost. But it
takes time TO turn out modern freight
car, and since the equipment companies
have all the business that they can
swing there is small chance of increas-
ing the supply Of rolling stock through
the placing OF new contracts for some
time to come.
This situation is the more e1asperat-
ing since the shortage comes at time
when manufacturers are beng offered
high premiums for prompt deliveries.
But they cannot guarantee these with
ont a proper supply Of raw material,
which might as well be at the other
end Of the continent as TO be stocked
UP IN freight cars sidetracked between
Wilkes-Barre and Chicago. This con-
gestion is a direct consequence OF the
rigid economies practised by so many
roads a year or two before the Euro
pean war. In those days of receiver
ships a traffic manager hardly dared to
petition his president for new equip
ment. He knew that his rosd was not
prosperous enough 70 stand the expen-
ditures and that railroad borrowers In
Wall Street were being referred to the
charity aid society"
One cannot travel in this section long
without realizing that the capacity OF
the country to produce freight has
largely outrun the capacity to produce
cars. A car famine seems inevitable,
although the roads are trying to use
everything on wheels in order to avert
it. This is entering into the high cost
of living and shows why some roads
are willing to pay the fines imposed IN
cases where foreign ears are kept be-
yond the stated time.
Housing Laborers a Problem
Mr.. Schwab's great plants have done
the continuous performance duty so
long that the inhabitants are becoming
used 10 the Illuminated hilltops along
the Lehigh Valleys right Of way. The
difficulty is how to get houses enough
70 shelter the thousands Of foreigners
attracted here by the promise Of steady
work at good wages. Mr.. Schwap mas
handled the labor problem with less
difFcultv than almost any other pro-
Queer and long ago advanced wages 10
the level of comfortable living conol-
,;ons But the facts Of the car famine
the labor shortage and greatly re-
duced wheat crop are getting under .he
wage earner's skin in the form Oh 'Al
-four and $3.50 potatoes.
The living costs in this whole valley
were never higher during the lifetime
Of those whose family Bibles give
birth date after the Civil War period
The grocer is getting to be almost as
unpopular as the butcher has been lot
g wear or two. The men who WORK nara
nv day and by night in steel mill OF
a foundry require so much food to keep
them going that the cost OF living Is
displacing the eight-hour law as
theme Of dinner table discussion, Tor
the average wage Garner cannot see
how he is benefting by IS per cent
advance in wages when his grocery bill
and his meat bill are rs per cent higher
than they were. Every time a house
hold buys new clothes the burden OF
ao-cent cotton is brought forcioiy
home.