The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-01-04
CAR SHORTAGE REPORT
RAILROAD COMMISSION
FACTS THROW MUCH LIGHT ON
SlTUATIoN-cARS IN
THE EAST.

While the car shortage has not YET
reached the acute stage in this distric;
that prevails In other sections of the
west, it has nevertheless been serious
Ely felt in the movement of ores from
the mines to the smelters. The tend
ency Of the public is TO blame the rail-
road companies for the shortage, and
on the other baud the railroad COM
panies point out that If local shippers
would unload and release the . cars
promptly the situation would be some
what relieved; that the railroads want
the cars and not the demurrage pen
ialty, But in Its broadcast sense the
shortage of cars Is due to conditions
which no one could foresee and which
the railroads are poWerless to relieve.
However, the local condition will be
materially improved by cooperation
between the railroads and shippers in
an effort to keep the cars moving.
In order to get at the actual condi-
ton the railroads of the country re-
Gently instituted an investigation,
which brought out some interesting
facts of which the public should be
advised. Following is a summary of the
condition disclosed.
Congestion in the East.
The American Railway association
has appointed commission to investi-
gate the cause of the car shortage and
they are clothed with power to issue
such instructions as will relieve the
situation Their investigation dis
closes the fact that In the middle west
and northwest there was actual suf-
fering on account of lack of fuel due
to the fact that cars were not available
for loading
The first order issued by the COM
mission was that all coal cars should
be returned to the owning road whe-
Their loaded or empty Immediately
This was done and the coal famine
was averted and the suffering reliev-
ed. This commission prepared a state
ment the latter part of November
which showed the situation as to box
cars. Ninetyseven per cent of the
railroads of this country are members
of the American Railway association,
and in the statement referred to, all
the roads were heard from. State
ment was based on the ownership of
IN he oh
that they had on their lines 5000 box
cars less than the box cars they own
while the roads entering the city of
New York have $4,000 more box cars
than they own; the New England
states about $4,000 box cars in excess
of those owned.
Cars Sent East Instead of West.
The cause of the car shortage as
far as lines in this vicinity are con-
cerned is due to not extraordinary
heavy crops but to the fact that this
year about 65 per cent of the grain
crop moved east while in previous
years 80 per cent moved to Albina
and the Sound, When grain is moved
west small number of cars, from 400
to 500, takes care of the situation, the
cars constantly rotating in the SER
vice, but this year every car loaded
east during this season has not as vet
been returned. This condition Is due
to shortage of vessels on the Pacific
Coast. Vessels on the Atlantic coast
are in such demand that munitions,
grain and other commodities are
blocking all side tracks within 400
miles of New York city You will
therefore see that the railroads are
not responsible for this situation.
Condition Could Not Be Foreseen.
Comparing their business with the
mining and other pursuits, you do not
find the mines building expensive ia
cilities and mills simply because there
is an extraordinary demand for their
production which will last for this
season only and it is not reasonable
to expect the railroad companies to |
purchase cars at the rate of $1,000 per |
car where they will likely be used but |
me season and possibly for the next |
eight or ten years lie idle on side
racks. No doubt the railroads would
lave provided additional facilities had
hey had an intimation of the amount
If business that would be offered
hem at this time or during this year,
'ut no one can tell when the Euro
'ean war would cease, which would
esult in large number of cars lying
die. Therefore, the public should
ealize and they must accept the fact
hat the present situation is a public
alamity and the railroads are re-
uired, as the servants Of the public,
0 get the absolute maximum use OF
II rolling stock to as far as possible
elieve the situation.
RECENT MINING DECISIONS.