The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-09
FACE A SHORTAGE
Railroads of Kansas Confront
ed With Problem.
Wheat Crop VIII Tie Up
Freight Traffic in West.
SIDINGS JAMMED WITH CARS
But They Are Loaded and No
Relief Is in Sight.
Eastern Roads Hold Up Cars
Belonging to West.

With every indication that this
years wheat crop will be fully as big
as last years, Kansas railroads are
facing the most serious situation that
has ever confronted them. For fifty
miles out of Galveston and for more
than Ice miles west of New York,
railroad lines are damned with freight
that has been accommodating for
months while shippers are making
vain effort to obtain vessels. With
this condition to meet, the roads have
begun to prepare for the movement
of this years grain.
In hopes of relieving this condition
before wheat is ready for shipment.
eastern roads, several months ago,
agreed to return to western lines at
least twenty per cent more cars than
were received from them. So far,
however. they have been unable to do
so, according to local railroad men.
Eastern roads running into Chicago
made their best showing early last
month when they returned 141A per
cent more cars than they received
from western lines, it is reported here.
This relief was offset somewhat, how
ever. by eastern roads running into St.
Louis and Peoria, Ill. From these
lines western roads failed to receive
as many cars as they sent.
. In the past two months. western
lines, and more particularly the At
Gibson, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Union
Pacific and the Rock Island, have re-
ceived number of their cars that
had been tied up in the eastern con-
gestion. The number received, how
ever, is far below that necessary to of
fer any certain relief when it becomes
necessary TIC move tie wheat crop.
Order tn Hold
Following the lead of the Union Pa
c1fic and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa
F'e, other Kansas roads have instruct
ed their agents to hold box cars as
far as possible on their own lines. Ex-
cept in emergency cases, agents have
been told to hold loads until arrange
ments can be made with foreign
lines to transfer the goods to their
equipment. In this way, the railways
hope to retain at least those cars that
are now on their lines.
While the roads operating in Kan
sas seldom commence to concentrate
cars for wheat crops until late in May
or early in June. the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe has been lining up cars for
the past several weeks Repairs on
box cars are given preference over all
other repairs at the local railroad
shops under an order received here re-
Gently.
HC SIOP ID IuitIicT
Ecated by the scarcity of storage facili-
ties. Mills and granaries are still
holding considerable portion of last
years wheat. At both the Galveston
and New York ports, the condition
is particularly distressing. In addi-
ton to the heavy demands on store
houses, thousands of box cars, holding
loads put into them months ago, are
being held as improvised store rooms.
| The one chance for relief can come
only through the acquisition of ships
! to relieve the CONGESTION in the east
according to local railroad officials. In
the meantime, railroads are making
| every effort to hold cars in readiness
| for service in central and western
| Kansas, when wheat movements COM
mence in July.