New-York tribune., 1920-09-04
Rail Executives
Seek to Speed
Freight Traffic
Reduction of High Living
Costs Through Increased
Efficiency i'll Operation,
Aim. of Chicago Meeting
Expect to Set New Record
Handling of More Tonnage
to Equipment Among the
Problems To Be Settled


CHICAGO, Sept. 3.-One hundred
and fifty railway executives, represent
ing 80 per cent of the railroads in the
United States, met in Chicago o-day
to devise plans to speed up the nations
transportation system and strike 8
blow at the high cost Of living. The
railroad men met in secret session.
Robert S. Binkerd, assistant to the
chairman of the Association of Rail-
way Executives, said that the purposes
of the meeting would be to expedite
the movement of railroad freight, the
handling of more tonnage tr equipment
and the sharp reduction of the number
of cars and locomotives in bad order.
The first business Of the meeting
was the presentation of technical re-
ports by the adjustment, law, advisory,
express, contracts and labor colnmit-
tees of the association, none of which
will be made public, according to
Thomas Dewitt Cuyler, chairman Of
the association and director in half
dozen roads.
On Eve of Making Record
"The railrads," said Secretary Bin
kerd, "are upon the eve Of achieving
the best operating records ever made,
plus the best financial results. They
have greatly deprecated plants. A
tremendous effort is to be made to sup
ply the transportation the country
needs
"With an 8 per cent money market
and the railroads limited to 6 per cent
earnings complete rebuilding pro-
gram cannot be carried out at this
time. A more intensive use of the
present facilities is about all we can
do this year and great progress is
being made in that respect. The
average miles car a day now are
between twenty-four and twenty-six.
The railroads hauled 100000 more
tons of bituminous and 100000 more
tons Of anthracite coal so far this year
than they did in corresponding
period in 1919. An effort is being made
to place an extra ton into each car.
To Use s3o0.C0O,0O0 Fund
BY using the $500, 100000 faad pro-
vided by the transportation act as
loans TO the railroads, arrangements
nave Deen made Tor total ~ bt.oOU
new freight cars, ESQ locomotives and
1.2O0 new passenger train cars. Some
of this equipment will be delivered
this fall; all of it is expected TO be in
use by midwinter."
Among the railroad offic ials present.
in addition to Chairman Cuycr and
Mr.. Binkerd, are Alfred P. Thom, Of
Washington, general counsel for the
association; c. II. Markham. president.
Illinois Central; J. c. German. presi-
dent, Chicago. Rock Island G. Pacific;
W. II. Truesdalc. president, Delaware.
Lackawanna & Western; w. ". At
terbury, Weep president. Pennsylvania
lines; A. T. Hardin. vice pres ident. New
York Central lines; T.. J. Pearson,
president, New York, New Haven &
Hartford; Carl R. Gray. president,
Union Pacific; W. a. Worthington,
v;ce-president, Southern Pacific; w. B.
Story, president, AtchisoI, Topeka e.
Santa Fe; +. H. Alfred, presd dent,
Pcre Marquette; David Willard. presi-
dent, Baltimore & Ohio; Fairfax Har-
rison, president, Southern Railway;
Frank w. Stevens. president, Chesa-
peake e. Ohio, and ". II. Williams,
chairman of the board Of the Wabash.