The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-04-16
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(Continued fron Page Oas.l

1905 cars a day. with 14SS on Monday
Of that week, which is generally the
big day Of every week. That was Fl1ree
years ago when there were 40 mines
in the regions compared with 200 TO-
dav. Ten or twelve years ago the re-
sion turned out as many cars but that
was in the days Of smaller cars and
the tonnage was MOI nearly go great
as it is now.
The rating given the Fairmont dis
trict is based on the maximum output
for a thirty day period, say railroad
men, who point out that it is largely
theoretical The maximum rating IS
based on the number OF hours worked
and the number OF hours lost and
while it puts the rating OF the district
higher than :. really should be no
harm is done for all the mines are
estimated on the same basis and the
cars are distributed in proportion to
requirements as far as IS possible IN
der assigned car and privately
Owned car policies.
The coal mine which only gets two
or three cars a dag when tEere are
cars often has coal stocked up and
the mine gets credit for the number
of hours il works and the charge Is
made for the number OF hours los;.
when the situation Is really misrepre
scented in the figures fnasmuch as the
mine only has railroad equipment
portion of the time and makes much
better showing on short periods OF
brisk endeavor than would be posi-
bic working eight hours day.
For instance nine capable OF load
ing eight cars per day could load a
car every hour Supposing the miEe
gets four cars every other day, and
loads them in two hours. The records
would show a loss OF six hours due TO
the lack OF railroad equipment on the
present basis OF figuring. AT the end
OK a month the rating would go to
twelve cars a day instead OF eight,
when eight is really the output OF the
mine. the abnormal loading beng due
to the fact that the nine wagons were
stocked up.
Many of the mines have a big stock
OF mine wagons. The mines in the
Fairmont district may be able to load
1900 or even 1850 cars on a Monday
but they cannot maintain that produc-
ton. according to railroad men,
throughout the week Railroad men
are fair enough to admit in this con
nectiou that if the coal operators
were assured OF car supply they
would soon build up their organization
so that Fairmont district could tuTls
out 1900 cars a day.
The point is made however that coal
is not the only thing being hauled by
the railroads: that there are many
other kinds OF freight going east, in
the same direction as most OF the
coal. The war industries are concen-
trated in the east most of them on
the Atlantic coast and as there are
only five or six trunk lines to take
care there it is only natural that there
should be congestion. Every kind OF
freight is congested at the terminal
facilities. not coal alone. There are
many difficulties encountered OF which
the public has no idea For instance
labor is so short that oftentimes help.
cannot be Communicated TO empty
cars when at their destination The
freight taken east must be abNLrbed
as fast as it reaches its destination
for there to be real improvement in
conditions.
The claim that 1t is a lack Of loco
motive power which makes the rail
road congestion is ridiculed by Bafti-