Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-03-25
PATIENCE WITH THE RAILROADS IS URGED
 ON THE SHIPPERS !
Jack Estes, Cotton Belt, Gives Carriers Side of the
 Case

The only panacea for the troubles coincident with the return of railroad transportation to normal operating conditions is patient tolerance and appreciation of current difficulrles on the part of shippers, according to Jack Estes, special representative of President Herbert of the Cotton Belt railroad in statement last night. Mr. Estes is in Pine Bluff attend ing the Rotary district conference,
 The railroads, he stated, are suf- fering from a lack of service facili- ties and needed capital. Traffic, he stated, has trebled in the past IS years. The volume of traffic offer ed American railroads in 1919 made new records. Yet, in 1919, only 214 new locomotives were placed in ser vice compared with 2,800 in 1918 and approximately 2,7O0 in 1917.
 Mr. Estes said if the shippers would be one-half as patient with the railroads during the next two years as they have been during the 26 months the railroads were under gov ernment control, no apology would be made for service.
 "March 1, the date on which the railroads were returned to their own CTS found the properties" he said, without thousands of tons of ballast and steel rails, so much needed to take care of business then on hand. The patient tolerance and apprecia- ton of current difficulties on the part of shippers and travellers will be the only panacea that can poss;- l bly, solve the problem of returning to normal operating conditions. The A 1n most at present from a lack of ser vice facilities and needed capital Within the past IS years traffic has only 214 new locomotives were placed in service, compared with about g.. 800 in 1918, and approximately 2,70( in 1917.
 Railroads Case.
 "When the sun came up on Marc} 1, the same number of travellers anc as much or more tons of freight stood waiting for service. The transfer of the railroads from government op eration to private control meant lit tie to them. What they wanted wa! service. Just the same the trans ferring of 260,000 miles of lines from one account to the other did not ere ate new passenger equipment or mo tive power, neither was the freigh car situation improved. The volume of traffic offered American railroad in 1919 made, new records. How ever, during these 12 months, onl. 214 new locomotives were placed ii service, an absurdly small number O new freight cars found their way in to service.
 "We Vcannot escape these conclu sions. The present lack of facili ties and motive power can only b' offset by patience and appreciation on the part of these 100,000,000 peo ple who use railroad transportation If the people will be one half a patient during the next two year : as they have been during the 9 . months when the lines were unde the wing of Uncle Sam, no apolog, for lack of service will be offered "Citing an instance so common nov in operating railroads under new am unprecedent conditions, locomotive are being bought at a price ranginl , around 16 cents pound. Pre-wa prices lowered about cents pounc Other items needed in great volume , by railroads are in proportion and Il some instances the increase ha reached 600 per cent. \ A liberal allowance for improve ments and betterment, with the vie, to restoring the road to its forme l condition, is being authorized, ac cording to Mir. Estes. "Presiden Herbert has authorized an, unusual 5 liberal allowance. for betterment:
 straining the iron hoops which bin
 the money box" MT. Estes stated. : Sane Economy,
 ! Ut is realized that each office and employe must of necessity az
 sume more pronounced measure Q