Evening journal., 1916-11-13
CARS short, ROADS
Lose $4,000 DAILY
Congestion Worst in Phila'S
History; $2O,OOO,OOOIn
Equipment Tied Up
5000 CARS STAND
ON THE TRACKS

PHILADELPHIA. Pa, Nov 13.-Car
shortage on the three railroads enter
ing Philadelphia is the most serious
ever experienced in the history of the
city, involving a daily loss of revenue
Of about $4,000 to the railroads be-
cause of the tie-up of equipment val
ned at about $20.o00,000.
officials OF the Pennsylvania Rail-
road last night said that this embargo
will be somewhat relieved on Wednes-
day, for shippers, receivers and car
riers have co-operated with the road
10 such an extent in the past few days
that nearly 1900 cars have been un-
loaded. The Reading will probably
modify the embargo also.
Last night more than $500 loaded
cars were standing in Pennsylvania
freight terminals, or at points near
the city. The Reading reported about
$500 cars.
The railroads blame shippers and
receivers for the congestion and have
placed an embargo on carload lots OF
many varieties of freight destined Tor
this city. The commercial trattic man
ayers of Philadelphia concede this 10
be true to an extent, but they say a
large part of the congestion is due
20 the largely increased traffic and
consequent delays to freight en- route
Traffic Mems Aid Asked.
A special notice has been sent 10
all members of the commercial trafnc
managers OF Philadelphia by the sec
retary, T. Noel Butler, urging them TO
help reduce the congestion by load
ing cars to capacity and to route cars
10 owner roads as quickly as possible.
Receivers are urged to unload cars
as soon as received, regardless OF the
forty eight hours allowed before the
81 a day demurrage becomes ehec-
tive.
The embargo does not affect less
than carload lots. This is because
such cars are generally unloaded at
Freight stations by the company with
out delay.
"The general condition Of railroad
equipment is deplorable," says the
Railroad Age Gazette in an editorial
IN the current issue. Railroads can
not deliver cars to shippers when
lhev do not have the cars. They can
not get the cars from builders. be
cause orders were not placed in time
for delivery for the heavy traffic that
is now being offered TO the railroads
Fifteen months ago cars could have
been bought readily. but the railroads
did not have the money TO pay toI
them at that time
The railroads have tried to over
come the car shortage by ordering q
large number of cars built. In the
first ten months Of last year only
67.7S1 cars were ordered, while ir
the same period of this year 1892;
cars we're ordered. In the first weel
of this month all records were broker
when 15.043 freight cars were
ordered
New Demurrage Rate.
Railroad men say the only effec
tive method OF preventing future
congestion of railroad traffic is L
institute a progressive demurrag'
charge ranging from 81 a day to 81
a day. Some Of the railroads pro
pose to do this on the first OF mex
month. The demurrage will be s
for the first day that a car is not un
loaded forty-eight hours after it Il
placed at unloading point. 50 tn
second day. SO the third. S4 the mex
day and S5 each day thereaf'~-.
This plan was proposed a YER age
and shippers and receivers Objecte'
TO IL then. They pointed out tina
there were enough freight cars Il
handle the traffic and that there wa
no need OF penalizing shippers a
heavily as the carriers proposed.
Today the conditions are reversed
carriers say, and there is no indica
tion that the car builders will be abl
10 supply cars in sufficient number
10 meet the needs Of the traffic. Car
riers point out that the plan is econ
omically sound and will rebound {
the interests Of railroads, shipper
and receivers, and forever put sto
to the practice of spectators wh
willingly pay daily demurrag
charge of 81 as long as it is profit
able for them TO hold goods on track
pending an increase in the market.