Arizona republican., 1917-08-24

tory service. Executives of the sev eral lines, having resolved to merge their merely individual and competi tive activities in the effort to pro- duce a maximum of transportation efficiency, created the railroads war board of five members, with head quarters at Washington, to work with the government, and direct the opera tion Of the railways, in order that the end here outlined might be accom- plished with the minimum of delay and friction.
 The Santa F'e confidently appeals to every man and woman in it's em- ploy for steadfast cooperation which alone can bring success; it confidently appeals to every patron for co-opera- tion in efforts to assure the movement of passenger and freight traffic with the least possible waste of material and energy and at the minimum cost. It is the intention of the Santa Fe to maintain the efficiency of it's ser vice. passenger and freight, and to give the public as much notice as pos sible of any temporary changes which may be necessary on account of mili tary emergencies.
 Having the. backing of all the rail- roads and the government, and also
 
 war board has greatly increased the capacity of the country's transporta- tion facilities. mainly in bringing about heavier freight car load l ing. Many shippers volunteered to l load cars to capacity or nearly so;
 others, upon request, promptly agreed to increase their loading; still others promised to do the best they could. The spirit manifested i by the shippers generally, has been fine; for the greater use of existing 1 freight equipment is the outgroWth of friendly cooperation on the part of the railways and their patrons. rather than by force of law In ad- dition, the interstate commerce com mission gave aid by permitting an advance of the minimum carload of flour and other grain products from A 900 to 10000 pounds on interstate shipments. but the state commissions lin a measure nullified this by re- fusing to take similar action on in trastate shipments.
 The war board, as result of the | unity of action on the part of the carriers, has brought into use every available freight car in the United States. Once a week there is a
 redistribution of cars among the lines which need them the most, re- gardless of ownership thus eliminat- ing waste This has helped mater ially in increasing the efficiency of the service On May l the country
 was short 10000 cars. On August
 l the shortage had been reduced to
 33,776 cars. The Santa Fe on its own lines, will contribute to fur
 ther reduction of the car shortage by the purchase of 3,90O new freight cars. 55 new passenger cars and 50
 new locomotives, at a cost approxi- i mately of s12.000,000 Nearly all this equipment should have been de- livered but the Santa Fe has suo-
 ordinated its rights and the manu- lecturers are using the men and ma terial on government orders.
 l "Co-operation between the rail- | roads and the shippers have made it possible to reduce the time of load ing and unloading cars, and this is | a very important factor in the pres ent crisis. A few months ago d good many shippers were using freight cars for storage purposes
 taking advantage of the inadequate demurrage rules and charges fixed by commissions. Little of this is done now. The time is coming when none of 1t will be done
 The Santa Fe several months ago
 made plans for meeting the require ments of the government in trans porting troops and war freight promptly, and 1t has been able to do
 so to date without seriously disturb
 ing business conditions in the terri
 tory served by it's lines. although owing to the continued heavy travel It has been impossible to discontinue any of the through passenger trains
 In few instances there have been consultations of poorly patronized
 branch line trains, but in all such cases the company was particular
 to see that the communities con-
 cerned did not suffer. Every indi- cation is the transportation needs ot Santa F'e territory will be met The | company asks patrons to exercise patience when, in the stress of ar
 emergency. the service is not 100 fl per cent
 As a public service corporation the Santa Fe has a two-fold duty to perform-to help win the wal l abroad, and to continue to help build l up the country at home, for use , after the war is over. If the ex- agencies of the government require It, the entire facilities of the Sants | fc VIII pc ucNoleu tO tne SerVlce Ol
 the government, even to the exten- 5 of cancelling all trains now serving the public; but the most resourcefu
 prophet, looking into the future car , see no such situation. The trans.
 portation of more than 100000 car. of material for army cantonment. and the national guard camps now ' Tn progress over the several rail.
 roads without interference with tn, t regular movement of traffic is tn, ] best evidence that the carriers car g discharge the duty devolved LIDO, a them in any emergency by whicl | they may be confronted
 This company is mindful of tn,
 Tact that big per cent of the food stuff used by the people in tn
 United States. and our allies abroad
 is produced in the Santa Fe states
 grain and grain products, meat O
 all kinds, vegetables, fruit, wool. etc
 Our patrons-producers and dealer
 -have a duty to perform in feed
 ing a large part of the world, an
 the Santa Fe pledges it's utmost en
 deavor to carry it's end of the loa
 by prompt movement of traffic Tn i. volume of government traffic is tn
 heaviest ever offered. and the fac . should be known that the carrier
 are required to handle it at abou . half the price paid by other patron
 generally for the same class of ser : vice.