The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1917-12-29
WHAT The RAILROADS
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED

| Governor Pleasant has received the
following information from the Council
of National Defense. showing the part
the railroads are taking IN the war
(which the State Council of Defense Is
transmitting TO the press Of Louisiana
| This has been called a railroad war
America preparation for such a war
is a greater railroad mileage than that
OF the entire continent Of Europe, and
q railroad army Of 1850. 600 employees.
Already the railroads, modified under
their War board at Washington. have
w0R some important victories
Up 10 November II the number Of
Icarloads of construction materials and
furnishings brought into the national
Earmy environments vas 7a,is4 70 the
same date building supplies used ia
the guard camps amounted 10 32,3To
carloads. ard 1858 carloads have been
shipped into the aviation camps.
A standard box ear OF loo. 900 pounds
eapacity Is forty feet and six inches
Tong II alt the ears carrying material
toF these three classes of camps could
be coupled together. the train that
would result would extend from New
York TO Chicago and ou out to Evan.
ston. Illinois
This il a tong train Il represents
n great burden added on 90 the task
accomplished by the railroads in the
record breaking year Of 1916 nut the
carrying Of construction materials TO
the eantonments Is only q small part
Of the total Increase In traffic for 1917
After the camps had been bullt, the
railroads had 10 move the men into
them They have also had 20 carry to
The Atlantic seaboard from all parts
Of the country, the men who have gone
70 France Up 70 November 10th they
had carried q total Of 1900. 900 soldiers
to camps and ports Of ombarkafion.
And after the men have been moved
the railroads have to carry supplies to
them Every day $500 carloads Of food
and coal arc being hauled 10 the ma
tional guard and national army camps
alone
Up to November IL. a total Of 1000
carloads of freight had been handled
for the Shipping Board This figure
represents o part Of the treftic involved
hy the building Of lipe new ships. Al
enormously greater number Of ears
have rolled down to Atlantic and Gulf
ports loaded with supplies and mimi,
tious for ships already built to carry
to France and England aud italy.
Al modern military aud commercial
activity is based ou coal aud oil bat
especially on coal No figures reveal /
more clearly the extent of the increased
EFFORT put forth in the Iast half year by
America generally and by the railroads
ia particular than the figures on the
coal traffic.
Ia the ak months from May 10 Octo.
her, inclusive there were moved 100.
Oa0 more carloads Of hard coal than In +
the same months Of 1915. and ISL 600 I
more carIOgda at sof, coal Figuring an /
average coal ear al a length of 80 feet !
tho total Increase for half Of 1917 over /
the spondipg half of 1916 may be- I
represented by q solid tfainload Of coal /
extending from New York. through .
New Ofleana 10 Los Angeles and on
10 the coast To Seattle, and then east !
again to "a point la Montana. 30 miles
east AZ Butte
The day is past when Ii Was the .
good citizens duty to eight the rail, +
roads The railroads are doing their
best on a tremendous job The either
can 30 part Of his bit by helping them
In any small way that he can
l.opisiaae State Council Of Defense.
John Marshall. Secretary
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