Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-02-23
RAIL COMMISSIONER LEWIS Is.
SUES STATEMENT AFTER
STUDYING CONDITIONS
HUNDREDS OF CARLOADS
MOVING FROM IOWA DAILY
Traffic Conditions Greatly Improved
During Past Ten Days-Lewis
eIan,es Weather for Large Part Of
Traffic Troubles and Says Railroads
Have Been Efficient.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times-R Republican.
Des Moines, Feb. 23--After spending
two weeks in interviewing railroad
offisials, government heads and trans
portation men in an effort to get stock
and grain cars, Dwight N. Lewis,
chairman Of the state railroad COM
mission, declared in a statement for
warded here today that apparently the
worst is over In the shipping tie up.
Improved weather conditions and a
persistent effort to get cars in the
middle west for corn and stock ship
ments have resulted in the getting OF
many cars to Iowa the past ten days.
Hundreds of car loads OF stock and
grain have gone to market from this
state the past week.
In his statement today Chairman
Lewis, who has put in much study and
effort to get stock and grain cars for
Iowa shippers. reviewed the causes of
the tieup. He said in part:
The car shortage in this country
has existed for more than two years.
The cause Is to be found in the
European war. Submarine warfare
made the arrival and departure Of YES
sells and the loading Of ships uncer-
tain.
Sometimes loaded trains were COM
PEELED to wait days and weeks in port
terminals and on ocean piers waiting
an opportunity to discharge their load
ed cars. In addition to the submarine
trouble the great quantities Of food
stuffs and war supplies OF all kinds set
into motion on the railroads, such a
flow Of traffic as had not been con-
templated by the railroad operators or
any other class OF people in the United
States.
"The RAILROADS. and terminals along
the Atlantic coast and the sidings and
yards OF the railroads extending as far
west as this state were filled with load
ed cars destined for exports and it
became almost impossible to move
them, Whenever cars were emptied at,
eastern points they were Immediately
put into service in the east and vast
numbers Of them were held on eastern
roads. In this way the western roads
were depleted Of their cars.
commends Railroads.
this winter has been an unusually
severe one. From the Mississippi river
4 to all the northern Atlantic ports there
have been very severe storms which
have prevented the operation OF the
railroads for several days and inter-
fered with normal operations at other
times.
Notwithstanding all these troubles
the railroads OF the United States have
met their task unflinchingly. They have
not been able to furnish expedited
service at all times when it was called
for but they have, in most instances.
finally ACCOMPLISHED their task. 1t is
claimed by them that in the year 1917
they hauled 100000 more cars Of coal
than they had ever hauled in any
other year ind they claim the increase
in business In other lines Of freight
have been very great.
Coming to our livestock affairs We
find an unusual condition. We are in
formed that the receipts OF livestock
markets from Chicago west Of the
Rocky Mountains have been about
normal and yet the cry is for stock cars
From a number Of stations over the
state we have received complaints that
there are from thirty to sixty cars of
fat cattle and hogs awaiting cars for
shipment for periods Of from two to
four weeks.
One Of the causes lies in the fact
that the corn grown in this state the
past season did not mature, and it be-
came necessary to feed 1t before warm
weather. Hogs and cattle which. would
not have been fed until the summer Of
1918 were put on feed in November and
December. Not only is this true but
farmers brought from other states
large numbers Of hogs and cattle which
have been fed on our soft corn. It Is
this large amount Of stock now fat
tened which ordinarily would not have
been fed until next summer which in
considerable measure is causing the
unusual stock car shortage"
.