South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-10
URGE XMAS GIFTS
Be SHIPPED EARLY
Local Traffic Bureau Takes
Up Campaign to Spread
the Gospel.

a campaign 20 encourage early
shipment OF Christmas packages,
inauEurated al a joint meeting OF
the American Railway associations
car service committees or this city,
and Chicago anG Milwaukee IA be-
ing assisted by tne traffic committee
of the Chamber Of Commerce. which
commenced this week TO mail out
circulars 10 local shippers urging
them 10 further spread the i'm
portance of The movement among
their constituents Endorsement OF
the campaign has been given by
representatives Of the National In
dustrial Traffic league and the Chi
cagO Association Of Commerce.
The matter was further discuss
ed by the traffic committee OF the
local Chamber Of Commerce at the
regular weekly meeting yesterday
afternoon. Since the matter OF ear
lier shipments of all freight was
taken up by the committee a few
weeks ago great Improvement mas
been noticed. Il has been urged up
on shippers the necessity Of not
only getting their shipments TO the
freight offices as early in the day as
possible. but the importance Of load
ing cars nearer TO their capacity.
The latter difficulty mas been great
ly overcome. as is evidenced by the
increase OF from 80 TO 80 percent
in the amount Of freight placed In
cars. This, as can he seen, makes
each car do its full duty, thereby
eliminating the waste of space and
requiring a fewer number OF cars.
Box Cars are Scarce.
Much difficulty is being expert
enced in securing box, cars. Rail
road officials have requested that
shippers let them know their needs
for cars as far in advance as pos
sible so they former may better cal
culate the requirements.
Weekly reports of local shipping
conditions are being sent to Wash
ington by the Chamber Of Com
merce.
H. X. Martin, secretary of the
committee states that the commit
tee is not getting the support il
should from the traffic men of the
city The railroad officials, he says.
are showing a keener interest and
lending more support to the work
of the committee than the traffic
men and shippers. He is DESTROYS Of
having all men interested attend
the meetings each Friday afternoon
and assist in solving the shipping
problems that are weekly increasing
on account Of heavy movements Of
war material. It is hoped that the
traffic men and the shipping public
as well make more of an effort to
cooperate with the committee and
attend the meetings each week in
the Chamber Of Commerce build
ing.
Must BE shipped Early.
The railway mail service Of the
government has expressed its ap-
proval Of the plan Of the railroads
to handle promptly the unusually
large amount OF Christmas pack
ages expected this year but this
cannot be done unless the public
will ship such packages in advance
of the usual time.
There will DE approximately l.
900. 600 soldiers in the various can
comments and training camps who
will receive Christmas packages OF
an average weight estimated at five
pounds OF One-fourth Of the max
imum allowance for parcel post
packages. To handle all these pack
ages i'm a few days before Christ
mas will be physically impossible
for the railways, express companies
and the postal department.
The post office department has fix
cd Nov. 1 3 as the last day for mail
ing Christmas packages to soldiers
and sailors abroad.
a prominent railroad mail Off
cial is quoted as saying recently
that at the present time there is
a shortage Of baggage car equip
ment that affects the handling OF
mail. and this shortage will be felt
more keenly with the approach of
the holiday period, when the flow
Of mail increases far above normal.
Unless the public will take into con
sidcration the shortage of equip
ment and labor that the railway
mail service will be confronted with
during the holiday period. serious
congestion and consequent delays 10
Christmas mails will result, to say
nothing OF the disappointments TO
bctn sanders and receivers Of belat-