The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-21
Interstate Commerce Commits.
sion Rushes to Help Roads.
Over 100000 Freight Cars Are
Needed at Once.
COAL AND GRAIN COME FIRST
Are Not Hauling Any.
thing But Necessities Now.
Are 10000 Cars on Way to
Grain Belt Today.

Washington. May 21.-A loan OF at
least s125, 100000 out of the $780,
900. 900 revolving fund to enable rail-
roads to purchase equipment required
to meet transportation needs of the
public was approved today by the in
terstate commerce commission.
Other recommendation for the dis
bursement of the revolving fund pro-
vided in the transportation act were
as follows: Temporary reserve for
claims and judgments, $40.000,00o:
Appropriation for short line railroads.
$12, 100000; temporary reserve for
maturities, 5O,O00,0o0; appropria-
tion for additions and betterments
which will promote the movement OF
cars, $73,000,0o0.
Need 100000 New Cars.
New equipment required by rail-
roads to meet minimum needs is esti-
mated by the interstate commerce
commission at two thousand locomo-
tives and 100000 freight cars, includ-
ing 10000 refrigerator cars. The
commission estimated that equipment
already ordered and to cost $125,00o,-
600 represented probably less than 25
per cent of that needed.
1T is evident" the commissions
statements said, that the equipment
required properly to meet the trans
portation needs of the public cannot
be secured unless the carriers them
selves assume the burden of financing
the remaining 15 per cent
Helps Untangle Tieup.
The interstate commerce commission
today took charge of the routing and
the redistribution of the railroads
freight carrying equipment, in an ef-
fort to end the car congestion which
was endangering food shipments and
threatening "a breakdown of the ma
tons transportation system.
This was done at the request of the
railroad executives.
Acting under authority of the Esch-
Cummins law, the commission ordered
the roads to deliver freight by the
quickest and shortest routes.
Under Blanket Orders.
In carrying out the request of the
executives, the commission issued a
number of orders for each of the lines,
directing the roads to deliver a cer-
tain number of cars at specific points
daily. AS these instructions are carried
out the congestion gradually will be
relieved and car shortages end, COM
mission members believed
Long trains of empty cars today are
localities where they are needed to
load coal and grain. Automobiles and
luxury commodities are left waiting in
the freight yards
Movement of $4,000 empties is
planned within thirty days.
Rush Cars for Grain and Coal.
Approximately 10000 are box cars
re-routed from eastern states to the
western grain regions.
The grain movement begins in the
southwest June 15. Approximately
10000 box cars must be stored In
southwestern terminals before that
date. July 15 grain will be ready for
| movement in Kansas and the central
western states. The northwestern
grain movement will begin Septem-
Der Is.
Thirty thousand open top cars are
being hurried to the coal regions to
increase production of bituminouN
fuel. Production for nearly a month
has run short more than one million
tons a week, according to reports TO
the United States geological survey.
Texas Needs 1850 Cars.
Austin, Tex, May 21.-A shortage
of 1880 cars to move grain. said to
be spelling at points in the Panhandle
due to lack of storage was reported
today to the interstate commerce COM
mission by the Texas railroad COM
mission. Congestion of $500 carloads
of grain at Galveston also was re-
ported. The Texas commission urged
that the United States shipping board
and the British embassy be requested
to rush additional bottoms to Calves