The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-09
M'ADOO GRATIF|ED
At SHOWING MADE
MOVEMENT OF TROOPS
Report show That 0,40e, $50 Men
We're Moved Between January J.
and Signing OF Armisticc, f.i47,o13
During July.

Washington, Jan 9.--Director- Gen
eral of Railroad McAdoo's forthcom-
ing report to the president for the
calendar year 1918. contains a. chap
ter relating to the operating results
of the federaiized railroads. which
closes with the statement that. "it la
not unnatural that with so funda-
mental a change. and with the large
number of officers and men involved.
there should have been some uneasi-
ness and uncertainties arise, and we
have not been without, in the earlier
period Of federal control, some evil
dences of decentralization In service as
a result of these conditions. but the
fact that there were so few is most
gratifying evidence Of the patriotism
and discipline of the officers and men
in railroad service.
The railroad administration was
organized In a period of unprecend-
ented business, aggravated by weather
condition, which, as to severity and
duration, have never been equaled.
The needs of a government at war,
involving the greatest variety Of acti-
vites, many of them in localities here
tofore relatively unimportant. and
with an insufiicfency of facilities, had
to be satisfied
Fuel for industries and homes. as
we'll as food for the domestic popu-
lation and our army abroad and for
the allies, had to be provided con-
currently with an unprecedented
commercial and industrial activity.
The fact that this was done and that
the railroads. emerging from the
stress OF weather conditions in March.
were functioning normally by May /.
and have continued to do 80. for it
sell.
Movement of Troops.
On the subject of troop movement,
the report has this TO say:
The prompt. efficient. and safe
movement of troops has been a first
consid Grafton throughout the period
of federal control. and nothing has
been permitted to interfere with it,
From the first of January to the
armistice there have been moved
total of 6.496.150 men. an average OF
625.434 per month. The maximum
was reached in July. when when L.
1898 men were moved.
-Four outstanding points may be
emphasized:
'One million seven hundred and
eighty-five Thousand three hundred
and forty-two drafted men were pick
ed Up at $500 separate points in larg-
er Or smaller units and moved on
schedule to their training camps, in
many cases upward of a days jour-
ney, and in ali cases were fed in
transit. The amount of detail in
volved in routing, scheduling. moving,
and feeding these men can hardly be
overestimated.
-Four million thirty eight thousand
nine hundred and eighteen men in
9,fUa special trains moved an average
distance of S55 miles
One million nine hundred and four
thousand and fourteen men were
brought into the crowded port
terminals for enibarkation overseas
without interference with the heavy
traffic of other kinds already being
handled through these ports and in
the territory adjacent thereto. Dur
ing one period of thirty days more
were brought into the port of New
York.
Daring the period there were but
fourteen train accidents involving
either death ar injury OF enlisted
men.
1.-THE troop movement section has
had exclusive charge OF this work
since the beginning OF federal con-
troll and. under different designation.
handled it for the railroads prior to
that time.
"A perfect understanding existed
at all times with the general staff OF
the army.
''At the peak OF the activities in
cident 10 the prosecution of the war
ii was necessary to provide for the
daily movement 10 and from indus
trial plants and camps OF EOS. 5S7
persons in each direction. To per-
form 9lhis work 2,319 passenger
equipment cars were in daily use.