Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-13
SHORTAGE Of CARS
IN SOUTH DESCRIBED
AS A SERIOUS ONE
WASHINGTON, July 1O.-Railroad

WASHINGTON, July 10.-Railroad
car shortage was described as par
| ticularly serious in the south by
witnesses who appeared at today
! hearing Of the interstate commerce
| commission on the order requiring
| railroads to give preference to coal
| mines in the assignment of open
Supporting the claims of southern
witnesses, representatives of more
than a score of steel manufacturers
| informed the commission that a shut
nent unless better car service was
afforded. Belief that any general
suspension of industry would be
averted, however, was expressed by
Daniel Willard, chairman of the ad-
visopy committee of the Association
of railway executives.
Industries in Georgia were said by
c. F. Cotterill, of Atlanta, repre-
senting the Georgia Manufacturers
association, to be receiving not more
than Is per cent Of the REQUIRED num-
Der of cars. Mr.. Cotterill further
declared that unless improved car
service was afforded soon,. many
families throughout the south would
suffer through the suspension Oh
work. ~
While southern railroads. Mr.. Cot
terill said, were better supplied with
cars than the northern carriers, the
excess of the southern roads mad
been diverted to the north.
- Assertion Challenged
The Louisville and Nashville rail-
road, said Mr. Cotterill. had only one
half of it's cars on its lines. Mr.
Willard challenged this assertion,
saying the Louisville and Nashville
it's own custody. Mr.. Willard added
that ARRANGEMENTS had been made to
increase the Louisville and NASHVILLE
car supply.
suggests Cooperation
Addressing the shippers, the chair
man declared the commission real1z-
ed the utter impossibility" of pleas
ing all of them, but he urged that
they follow the suggestion of Mr..
Willard to attempt solution OF car
service through cooperation between
them and the railroad officials,
Through such cooperation, Mr.. VIII
lard had predicted that half the
trouble" could be eliminated.
By shippers and railroads acting
Mr.. Willard expected it would not be
necessary to prevent all movement
of building materials and that mate
rails could be moved for highway
repairs, maintenance and construc..
ton of essential connecting road
..
cipated, could be had on the return
of the open top equipment to the
mines.
"There has been no harmonizing
effort between the carriers and ship
pers to get the best out of the sit
uation." declared Mr.. Willard. adding
that the forthcoming wage award
was expected to bring improvement
in the transportation situation. With
labor difficulties ended. Mr. Willard
asserted the roads will move as
much as in the past-1917, 1918 or
1919"
Extension of the commission order
for thirty days beyond July Fl, its
original expiration date, was favor
ed by Mr.. Willard, while the steel
men at the hearing did not commit
themselves but asked the order be so
interpreted as to permit them to re-
ceive a part of the open top equip
ment.
Other witnesses in their testimony
coal toSnorthern Michigan, Wiscon-
sin, Minnesota, North and South Da-
kota while lake transportation was
available.
Plans for the movement of coal to
this territory will be considered at
meeting of coal operators here
Monday and Tuesday and by the rail-
way executives at New York We'd
nesday.
steel Shutdown Feared
A shutdown of steel mills is
threatened because of car shortage,
representatives of more than a
core of steel manufacturers today
informed the commission. Daniel