The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-11-22
RaIlroads' War Beard Central
0oparhnont,

Chicago, Nov. 1s-s'During the
winter American railroads will
fare the greatest transportation
problem in their history" said
Fairfax Harrison, chairman Of the
Railroads War Board.
'''rhe war demands have increas-
ed the railroads burden virtually
overnight by millions of tons of
freight.
Some conception of this may be
cleaned from the fact that the adj
ditlonal service demanded this
year in equivalent to carrying 12O,
OOO.000,000 tons of freight one
mile.
Moreover, frankly, the rail-
roads will have to handle it with
Inadequate facilities. Cars, loco
motives. terminals, all the other
equipment, track space-cannot be
built overnight.
'To make the situation more
difficult, practically all the steel
which can be spared for loconotiv-
es and care has been appropriated
for Use aboard either by the Unit
ed States or our allies. AS a re-
suit, United States railroads must
face their task with practically no
increase in equipment.
despite conditions, the rail-
road army is not pessimistic. 1t is
OIL the contrary still on tip toe to
control the tremendous traffic so
suddenly thrust upon it. But all
railroad men now recognize that to
keep pace the railroads will not on
ly have to increase their own ef-
forts. but must count upon the
shippers, consignees and public as
a whole to increase the co-opera-
ton they have so generously Civ
Ell since the United States entered
the war.
During the war, food, NUM-
tions and materials must be kept
moving to the seaboards, lumber to
the shipyards, men must be kept
moving to the cantonments-anel
all these movements, so far as poss-
ible. must be made without serious
interference with the regular com.
merical traffic.
"To do this, the railroads must
increase their own efficiency. They
cannot rely althogether OH the ship
pers. AS chairman of the Rail
roads War Board l feel | cal,
state this increase in efficiency will
be accomplished, as there has been
no disposition on the part of any
member of the railroad army to
Ito anything but give his best.
"Consignees can also help by
purchasing in the nearest market
by being prepared to store tho
whole contents of the cars, by
punching their orders to make full
carload lots and by unloading
promptly. ...
1.-The cooperation we ask from
the general public is harder to cx.
d thorough understanding of til,
magnitude Of the transportation
problem and the necessity for pub
lie cooperation in its solution.
1--WE want the public to under
stand that passenger trains hav,
been eliminated for one purpose on
'y-to save equipment, man power
and track space absolutely needle,
to handle the tremendous freight
increase.
eve want the public to under
stand, too, that every effort the in
dividual family makes in any form
of conservation will help solve til,
transportation problem, as well az
the other economic war problems
"By using food and fuel econo
mically, by refraining from tn,
use of things unnecessary for 4
healthy existence, by foregoing lux
nries which demand rail transpor
1ation, and by supporting the
movement against the use OF
freight cars for hauling nonessen.
tIals, the people as whole will les.
sen the burden Of the railroads and
help carry this war to a successful
conclusion.