The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-09

cars must be ready when the coal II
brought out CT the ground. This is
absolutely essential.
MANY mines are idle today on &C
count of no cars Two hundred and
eighty-five mines were idle because
of car shortage in one West Virginia
district during the week ended July
26s This was before the shop mems
strike. kinety-seven mines in this
district failed to go to work in one
day while many others only worked
part time that day.
1.-THE total bituminous coal lost
through lack Of railroad cars at the
mines from the week ending June Z
TO the week ending August 8. inclu-
sive. was l2.25l. 1852 tons. distributed
by weeks as follows: June Z, 1885,
996: June II. 655.190: June 81. $685..
6e2: June 23e 644.l49; July s. 2S5,<.
4s5: July IL, 428.359: July Is. LAG.
OTIS; July 26. 1.764, 264; August 2.
2.311.402; August 8. 1891, $50. This
means 245.0o0 ears. or 1000 train
loads. This is more than six months
supply for all the New England
states: and this loss occurred in ter
vessels only.
Car Shortage Increases.
Since July IL. this shortage has
been increased by leaps and bounds
These figures are based on the Unite<
States Geological Survey reporvA
which indicate that whereas for th1 :
week ended July 10. where Director
General Hines chose to close his re-
cent report to the Senate, the loss on
account Of car shortage was ~ per
cent OF full time output. the loss on
August 3. was 22.5 per cent, this in
the face OF statements by the Rail-
road Administration to the effect
that conditions are not now abnormal
In other words. the loss because OF.
no cars at mines has trebled in three
weeks. and is now on . parity with
the ordinary ahortage during severe
winter months when the Railroads
are handicapped by COMPOSITIONS and
engine failures.
"The Director General points OUT
IN his report, that $1,000 new cars
have been built. Of which 1900 have
been put in service. II all Of the ST.
900 cars had been in service during
the week Of August 8. there would
still be a shortage Of $4,000 cars
during the one week alone: but thess
cars are not yet in service and they
are going into service very slowly. -
Concerning the number Of cars
now in the repair shop. Mr.. Callahan
said:
There are proportionately more
coal cars in bad order today than
closed cars. OF total of l.l83.49O
closed cars. 95.92S or 81 per cent,
were in bad order on July l2, as COM
pared with 98.l39 bad order coal
cars, out Of q total of such cars Of
574 SAT or l0.l per cent coal cars in
PAD order. Repairs to coal cars are
beng neglected through preference
to other cars Moreover a figure OF
~ per cent Of coal car ownership 10
shop is abnormal, There should not
be to exceed s per cent Of the total
number Of coal cars in shop under
ordinary good railroad management
the country Is full OF bad order
ears. They impede the movement Of
freight through railroad wards in
certain districts and are backing up
the current Of traffic.
Moreover TO 10 per cent OF the
$1,000 locomotives owned by the rail-
roads under Federal control are now
in the shop for classified repairs.-
These $500 or more engines accord
ing to indications. win BE- needed
quite early this winter. They could
be used now in avoiding blocking cnai'
mines with loaded ears II these
engines are not, repaired at ones.
they may. when REQUIRED for use. b.
in just the same condition 20 many
cars are IN today