Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-20
STEPS TO EXPEDITE
FREIGHT UNLOADING
Board of Trade Adopts Plan
to Cooperate With Roads
in Car Service.

twenty-five to 80 per cent OF all
freight cars arriving in Washington
are not unloadad promptly. 1t was
| brought out today at meeting of the
public utilities committee of the Wash
| ington Board of Trade, in the report of
| the subcommittee appointed to investi-
gate the freight-car shortage.
| To meet this situation, the railroad
companies will send to the boards Of
| flee each day a complete list Of the
| cars which have been placed and not
| unloaded for more than forty-eight
hours. The board, through it's office,
will then write to the consignee, ad-
vising him that his car of goods is de-
/ laying others, and asking prompt CO.
operation toward it's unloading.
| Il the letter is not needed a COM
mittee will then call on the delinquent
consignee and further urge that he
unload his car. BY this means it is
hoped to impress on the merchants of
this city the necessity for speedy un-
loading SO that the cars again can be
put into service.
| Embargo List Urged.
! 1t also was brought out by the in
vestigating committee that the Inter-
state Commerce Commission adopted
rule to the effect that if coal cars
were not unloaded promptly the con-
lsignees would be placed on the en-
barge list and be unable to get addi-
tlonal cars unless some assurance il
given that cars would be unloaded
more promptly.
The board is trying to avoid such an
embargo on general freight. which of
1ficials say is sure to come unless
prompt action is taken in unloading.
1t is deemed to be conspicuously
unfair by members of the committed e
tnat certain men allow their cars
| TO accumulate and stand on the track
Tor several days, while others are
| putting forth extra efforts to unload
| cars in the allotted time of forty
| eight hours.
The committee recommended that
| this plan be put into effect imme-
diately; even if it entailed securing ad-
! ditional help in the clerical force
Letter to Delfnquents.
| The following letter will be sent
| 70 all dellnquent consignees on notice
from the railroads that they have
| not unloaded promptly:
me Washington Board of Trade.
IN Its investigation of the car short
age. hnds that great many con-
! signees do not promptly unload cars
|
| begin after forty -eight. hours and
most of the cars are unloaded within
| that time.
There is an honest effort on the
part of large majority of our mer-
chants and manufacturers to expe-
dite unloading and it is grossly un-
fair that small minority should
take advantage of conditions and pre-
vent large number of cars from
: rolling each day. Investigation shows
| that these delays in unloading, if
! corrected, would make 500 to 1000
more cars of freight to be shipped
| into Washington each month.
! 1.-THE Board of Trade. believing that
the seriousness of the premises is not
| appreciated, and that in many cases
! consignees are not aware of these
| delays. have determined to notify all
! consignees of cars consigned to them
that have been placed ready for un-
loading for forty eight hours or more
| The Board of Trade is working for
| the interests of the community as a
whole 1t is hoped that you will CO.
| operate to the extent of adopting
means to assist in relieving the car
shortage and thereby avoid the pos
| sibility of the PRONUNCIATION of a rule
I that may improve conditions, but at
the same time put additional burdens
on the commercial interests of our
| city."