Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-10-13
FREIGHT RECORD BROKEN
DESPITE CAR SHORTAGE
Walker ID. Hines, Dircctor-Gencr,L.
:, Explains Situation Now Con-
sAstS fronting Railroads.
BUSINESS EXCEEDS WAR DAYS
Every Effort Being Made to Meet
s Demands for Handling Coal anG
Whcat-Says Funds Arc Needed
frto Build Equipment.

y Whcat-Says Funds Arc Needed
fgto Build Equipment.
Business conditions are such TO
make the freight business OF the coun-
& Try the largest in history, according TO
a statement made yesterday by Walker
D Hines. director general OF the
United States railroad administration
conditions which now confront; the
ssa a The statement. siysn o y,
points ont that ;Ae roads are handling
the maximum capacity. but are hand-
Sapped by ca shortnse. which has
been existent for years, even before
I,he war period Tho statement fol-
The railroads Q: he country arc
now doins 4 heavier business for the
present season O.: tho wear than was
ever done = ne history Of the rail
as heayy BUSINESS "s VAS done At TINS
season II 1875 which exceeded Ali pre-
Nous records The have more cas- IN
out Of service :o- repairs. than II lsls
or 1915. While me had order car sit
ust.on was greatly embarrassed ~ the
gust The percentage %: bad order ears
IS nov RAPIDLY IMPROVING
There waS 81 increase q Se-t55
cars = se-yi'e@bls con6iHon as;weer
AGs:is- - sT1 -Act1'e- -vs lTS
Thousand enc hurd-s3 ana ;e- g: This
increase we-e a6is1 = 80 vaaa s.:-
Deprived Of ractntie.
While the t-si=A; business 7,-a,-
:tc..y IS HsAvy a. - ;tsS ;-s las;
fsar. ire -al7oa5 .rl75s;-AG'77 :
by dsp-ive5 q many exceedingly ,r--
porUni aids wnicA i as at. = o.s!-
.Ze las: year. one % ;a-Ss :1= zoc-
ing % coal which last yea compelled
consumers - take i1e.- eo-- from
as.SY n, atns s ard A g s5 sy N?
tation This aivant2c: has necessarily
been los; because the coal zon.as was
terminated last winter.
''Anothe- is that last year there Was
much heavier loading OF many npor-
itant. commodities IMAM 1t has been
result is that under existing condi-
tons more cars nave TO be used for
the same amount, OF traffic than were
or important respects in which traffic
was controlled in the interest OF the
war last ., year SO as to get the mani
ton, and with return OF peace condi-
tions and tho resulting ins!stence Of
public sentiment upon release OF war
1me restrictions, these advantages
have been lost.
Due 10 Heavy Shipping.
The fact that there still. i n short
age in rail transportation is due to
the condition that the amount of bust :
ness offering is far in excess OF Sc
tray. This has always been true .
times OF heavy business in the autumn
ter could not be controlled with an
iron hand with a view solely TO war
necessities.
"At the Same time railroad facilities
have not expanded to the extent re-
CURED in The public interest Even I've,
We're We're MOI equal to The de demands mar Dur
ing the war the addition Of new facil-
tiles was greatly restricted by scar
city OF material and labor.
Shortage of Funds.
"Sinca 10 war inDoS-
sible 10 enter upon or carry out any
extensive program for enlargement Of
railroad capacity, because OF the unccr-
tainty as To the status OF the railroads.
Tire railroad administration was not
fore, could not originate or carry out
any such program. The railroad com
panies, in view Of the uncertainty.
We're unwilling 10 provide the money.
The result is that the railroad ia
ciiltieS OF me country are decidedly
theless the maximum traffic is being
handed, and this is being done with
less shortage of transportation than
manifested itself at times in the pre-
war period.
Particular attention is being paid
by the railroad administration to the
furnishing OF necessary equipment for
the transportation OF coal and grain.
il was decided early in September that,
in order to meet H. coal requirements
OF the country, il ~.ollld be necessary
for the ooo railroads 40 .*!!e.ve minimum
a week. For the week ended Septem
bcr 10 II. O46 900 tons were transported,
For the week ended September 20 H.
2ie,GOu tons were sported. and for
the week ended September % the rail
road miniei ration estimates that ap-
rroX!mate!y ll,575,oo0 tons were trans
ported
Whent Situation EmerEent
Conditions have developed which
nave made II necessary 10 handle Inc
Whcat situation in an emergency way
rms situation has been Complicated
nY the fact that many of the elevators
are tu!i and Il has been !mprac,icable
20 move additional wheat to points
W W. do ihe s.Syators are fun because
OF railroad cars 10 be .iled with grain
when could moi Disposed Of a; desti.
ltaIon. ana this would result i'm nr,c
ticaliy taking such cars ont Of Inc
transportation service and using mem
Ut s'Crase ana dcPrivine the public
"eeled for business Of every sort '
ne rallroad administration - fol-
20" ms lh!s matter very vigorously i'm
ton, ana the director general yiil
.olSin'F ne matter personally at
1neSti ns o; Interested railroad onicers
IONS and others 10 be MID in C;bi ,". "a
TINS week. 80 ''''''s'
Handling TcNns Crop.
AS 20 me situation In Texas whore
tiie wheat conditions are part!,,lsri,
acute because the crop - n,,rt 80, =
ilatelE -o1uO,OhO bushels larlrr ~,
Of i;.,.aTf an" "h"rC there IS q scarcity
ments arc being made ,t,-oI,,., 80 -. -,
Sr2nn corporation for tine sc,,Ijr ~"
and "ra. caTHo vessels 10 Galveston
made for. increasing Inc ,,,I,rtc
permits for carloads Of VIM, i,, y,
Particular efforts ar. ni, i"r DAY.
move wheat which is on '''..c o
ara . mus eAposed 10 The wea,e,cr;"'''
p0oTp0Mc nInoTpr,