Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1917-08-23
You Can Help the Railroads

Ing OF the huge crops of the great
the usual cry will be
raised about the car shortage d.
s. Spencer. general passenger agent
Of the Short Line System is out
with a personal letter to the editors
along his line. asking their support
In advising the shippers how they
can assist the railroads in more
moving the crops.
Speaking OF the problem of trans
portation, he states that the execu-
tiyes of all the great railroads of the
country have set aside entirely, for
the period of the war. the rights and
privileges of individual ownership,
and that the government is practic-
ally in control of all the great sys-
tens. as It has In effect nullified the
provisions of the anti-pooling section
Of the Interstate commerce law, with
the result that the 100000 miles OF
railroads in America are today being
operated as one great system.
Shippers are all urged to load the
cars to their fullest capacity, which
would do much to relieve the car
shortage. Seeing the necessity for
this. President Wilson says to the
railways and shippers of the country:
1.-THE greatest single obstruction
to the prompt handling OF freight
today. is the shortage OF cars.
ut is not possible to build new
cars in time to relieve the situation
There is no other means by which
the capacity OF the railroads can be
so economically and efficiently in
creased az by increasing the load per
car.
You can help wipe out this diff
Guilty.
mo car is loaded unless and until
filled to full visiblec apacity, or to
10 per cent above marked weight
carrying capacity.
"a car loaded to full Go per cent
above marked) capacity can be NOV
ed just as fast as an under-loaded
car and does not take up any more
yard or side-track room.
That's ITO per cent efficiency.
IAN increase OF only two tons per
loaded ear would be the same as add
ing 100000 new cars to the supply
available for public use.
Heavier car loading will elimin-
ate the car shortage of the nation.
Just a little thought and quick
action is all that is necessary.
How can you afford not to do
your part
1t may be asked why in the pres
ent emergency the railways do not
more largely increase their equip
ment and other facilities? There are
several reasons: First. prices are
enormously high. A steel hopper car
which three years ago cost $4,000.
now costs $4,000. A Mallet locomo-
tive which three years ago cost $780,
600 now costs 100000. But there
is a more important reason than this
one of price. Foreign governments
are competing as never before in our
markets for railway equipment and
supplies. The Russian railway sys-
tenn has practically broken down and
IT has been reported to our govern
ment and to the locomotive builders
that the main thing needed to keen
Russia in the war is to rehabilitate
her transportation system. Russia
needs one thousand new locomotives
before January /, and two thousand
new locomotives next year. II she
does not get them she may cease to
be factor in the war and that may
mean an increase OF hundreds OF
thousands or even of millions in the
number of soldiers the United State.
Will have to send to France. Now
Russia, II she is to get those locomo
tives, must get them in the United
States. Furthermore, England ant
France VIII need a thousand locomo
tives from this country within tn,
next year. The maximum capacit,
OF our locomotive plants is only abou
$4,000 a year. Therefore, II the rail
ways Of the United States should ge
all the new locomotives they need, 4
would be impossible for the plants II
this country to make enough for oul
European allies, and the final result,
might be disastrous.
| According to the statistics given
the Union Pacific systems record fol
the month OF May shove a move
ment of all cars OF 67.7 miles pei
day, while the average car movement
throughout the country is &c mile
a day.
Referring to this subject, the Chi
cago Tribune in a recent issue say
editorially:
There is nothing more creditabl,
in the war efforts of this country. Ell
Their private or public. than the cours