Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-23
ECONOMY SOUGHT IN
HANDLING FREIGHT
Large Shippers of Merchandise
Endeavoring to Conserve
Car Space.

Tho problem of relieving congestion
| Of railroad freight which Is becoming
more severe throughout the country as
| tho fall season approaches IS receiving
| the careful consideration not only of
| government authorities in NashinPt on,
| but Of the leaders IN many branches uf
! trade as well II Is the opinion of those
| in close touch with conditions that the
country Is facing serious situation
with no increase IN freight ears and
government demands on the railroads
| steadily becoming greater In addition
To the transportation of the tremendous
war purchases of the government. il IS
pointed out n bumper crop must hc moved
| thus fall This further strains carving
facilities and lessons the freight space
that can bc gwen Ia the delivery of
general merchandise
In a communication setting forth the
necessity of immediate action for Im-
proving the freight situation, T. L.
Howe Executive Secretary of the M
tlonal Retail Dry t'unds Association
axis members for suggestions ns to more
effective methods of packing merchandise
IN order to save space lie points out
that tho choice IS now squarelv up to
them OF whether thCv would prefer to
receive deliveries Of more boxes and less
merchandise, or more merchandise and
less boxes
The danger To the merchants of the
country IN a congestion of railroad freight
Is obvious. Mr. Howe goes on "'Thc
difficulty Of shipping goods ls daily IN
crcasIng The needs % the government
will first be cared for Food and fuel
must also hc shippci. and supplies for
munitions and shIphuldiug plants viii
take precedence Our experience last
winter should serve rs q warning ~ us
rs TO what IS likely 10 occur tins coming
fall and winter The needs ol the govern
mcnt have multlphrd There are uo
increased transportation faclhtIcs Tho
question thcn remains Of how much space
Will he left for merchandise shipments
and how much merchandise not absolutely
Csscnt al will bc moved THIS Will
depend great deal ON how much mcr
chandisc can hC shipped m this avallatlo
space which IN turn depends upon how
much of th,e space is uti god for wrapping
and enclosures of merchandise. rather
than for merchandise itself
Tho probahIlt, ,~ that every cuhc
foot of wasted space will mean Just 50
much less merchandise tha' can he
shipped The obviouS necessity. there
fore is to condCnsC merchandise INTO the
smallest possible space and thereby
increase the amount of actual goods that
can bc transported The government has
hccn stud,lng this situation and has
serve a~ i guide in TINS vtallv important
matter
There are many items which the govern
mont has not taken ~, hut t. which
merchants ~ thcr own interests should
give careful consideration such for
instance rs Shipping umbrellas ii bulk
pockcthooks and other leather goods
shoes. rubbcrs, etc in condensed form
instead % as now. m individual hoNcs
s good va, ~ make a test Is to take tor
example fifty boxes oi shoes packed
togcth thCT and measure the cubic contents
Then fakr The tftN pairs Of shoes out of
the boxes wrap each palr IN paper, plc
them together and Obtain the cubic con-
tents This Is the WAY car space Is being |
figured IN looking at il IN tins light,
il Il readily appreciated that every cubic |
foot Of car space must ~ utilized to the
greatest possible advantage
1t i now he middle oi July. What !
can he done must he done immediately, |
and not in September or October when |
the crlsis Is on II is decidedly 10 the |
best interests OF every merchant IN the /
country immediately 10 take survey |
oi articles in his store lie should be sure |
/ hat whoever docs this work Is thoroughly /
impressed with the ScrioSncss OF the /
and the importance OF looking /,
AT the matter IN the proper light II IS I
no longer q question of whether or not We |
would like 10 have merchandise come IN /
individual boxes, or packed in luSt the |
same way We have been accustomed 10 /
in the past Il has come right down 80 a !
question OF whether We are willing TO take |
the chance Of receiving All or only part OF |
Jhe merchandise We nced.
The ASSOCIATION IS sending a letter /
along these lines to q thousand rctajI |
stores throughout the country and hopes
to get their suggcstIon ~ 10 WAYS and |
means Of saving space by more condensed /
packing The Information We Obtain
immediately viii be coiiated and turned |
over 10 the War lndust rlcS Board IN
Washington If We rs merchants do
not meet tins opportunity 10 improve |
he situation. We CaunOt expect 10 receive |
much consideration ID the matter of |
shipments when the congestion Is on thIs
SIntcr. There is no assurance that, even
With merchandise shipped IN condensed
orm. there will not be decided curtaIl- /
nent II is certain, however, hat only |
through such action rs IS suggested here
sill there be chance OF receiving any |
hing like the required amount Of goods
COMMISSION APPROVES.