The Washington times., 1918-01-09
RAILWAY TERMINAL
FACILITIES Of CITY
ORDERED POOLED
CONTINUED from First Page.)

The committee, headed by r. =.
Andrews, is expected to exercise this
central control and direction OF dray-
age facilities pooled as result of
the one store-delivery a day arrange
mcnt.
No DIyisIOH Lines.
Pooling Of all Washington terminal
facilities means in effect that rail
road division lines will be wiped out
entirely. Freight shipped over Penn
sylvania lines may be placed upon
Baltimore and Ohio sidlngs and vice
versa. Switching engines from one
, yard and crews will be shifted to
other yards and dumps as they are
needed.
Washington IL the third city in the
! United States where all terminal IA
cilitIes have been pooled for use as
needed, so that moro equable dis
tributIon OF cars on sidings can be
obtained, thus facilitating unloading
and movement. A similar course has
been pursued in Chicago and New
York.
Director General McAdoo has sent
| the following letter OF instructions
10 Vice President Thompson, OF the
Washington Terminal: 49,
81 enclose copy OF letter which ]
have today written to Hon. Louis
Brownlow. relating to the local
freight congestion in the District. II
is Of Importance that these faclli-
ties be kept In efficient operation.
and while tho present situation APP
pears TO exist chiefly because con-
40 HaL n
away their freight as rapidly as
should be. there are doubtless meAs-
ures which can be taken to increase
capacity by the railroads.
Common Use of Facilities.
az, therefore. request that you UNI
dertake at once to arrange for the
common use OF the rail facilities in
the District. as far as may be wise.
to increase efficiency in the use of
them. and see TO II that sufficient
switching power is maintained here
at all times. The forces at the freight
houses and in the administration Of
the facilities generally should be kept
at all times adequate to serve the
public and. generally. measures
should be taken from time TO time
as necessary to keep the service
abreast with the requirements OF the
public here. ] shall be glad IL you
will report to me On the subject from
time to time"
The following letter was sent by the
Director General to Commissioner Louis
Brownlow:
81 am gratihed TO note the ready re-
Spouse in the District to the suggestion
that by helpful cooperation. the deliv-
cry OF fuel can be increased and the
congestion Of the local freight facilities
abated.
81 transmit herewith report Of a COM
mittee recently appointed at my suEGes-
ton TO study the facts relating to the
freight congestion. Mr.. X. p. Andrews,
president OF the Retail Merchants Asso-
citation. IL chairman OF the committee.
and the report contains many helpful
suggestions. I am impressed with the
plan thFt the drayage and trucking
facllItiestoT the District be Immediately
co ordinated under n central direction.
and observe that the retail merchants
In the city are acting along that line
Reasonably Adequate.
THE steam railroad facilities OF the
District appear to be reasonably ade-
quate. but TO increase efficiency in the
use OF them. have directed Mr.. A w.
Thompson, vice president Of the Wash
Ington Terminal Company. to take all
measures necessary to sec that common
use Is made of these facilities and that
sufficient power and forces are at all
times maintained upon them.
1.-THE main difficulty, however. has
been in the delay in removing freight
by consfgnees from freight houses
and team tracks.
The admirable spirit of co-opera-
ton, which is rapidly transIating IT.
self into action, appears to make it
unnecessary for me at the present to
GO further than to make the definite
suggestion that you cause an enumer-
alton OF the drays and trucks OF the
District to be properly made. With
this Information and In cooperation
with the other interests OF the city,
which are acting along similar lines
to bring about relief, ! am persuaded
that. you Will md immediate response
in carrying out plans which l have
suggested, and which the enclosed re-
port definitely indorses for common
use OF the facilities in disposing OF
the accumulated freight and keeping
q steady flow of ii through the
freight facilities. II the appointment
OF a freight administrator OF the Dis
trict would appear later to aid in
working out these problems I shall
not hesitate TO act IN line with that
suggestion, but am persuaded that
such action at the moment will not be
necessary to supplement the generous
action which is already 50 well
afa