Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-14
BUILDING ADVISERS
IN CITIES PROPOSED
President Willard, B. & O.,
Would Have Committees
for Priority Work.

The suggestion that Washington and
other cities of the country should have
committees on construction appoint
ed through the Senate committee on re-
construction, of (which Senator William
M. Calder of New York is chairman, and
that these local committees should pass
upon the necessity of construction prof.
ects with view to obtaining priority
shipments of building materials, was
made by Daniel Willard. president of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company.
at the recent conference of builders in
New York city
Defends l. &. G. Action.
Mr.. Willard defended the action of the
Interstate Commerce Commission in It's
priority orders. He told the committee
the orders were issued because the
stocks of coal that existed after the
armlstice were depleted and because the
strikes of the switchmen and coal min
ers had made the mining and delivery
of coal fall short of what they should
be.
Part of the coal that requires imme-
date delivery is bound for the north
west Railroad facilities demand that
1t be delivered to Lake Erie ports and
then carried by lake route to its desti-
nation. This, he pointed out, had to
be done before ice closed the lakes to
navigation.
The other immediate demand for
coal is in New England. The annual
needs of the northwest were placed
at 25.000.000 tons and of New Eng
land at like amount. The normal
capacity of coal delivery by rail into
New England, is 100000 tons year.
the balance being shipped by water
route which in ordinary times offers
lower freight rates than the rail-
roads.
At present. according to Mr. Will
lard, coastwise water rates are $1.89
higher than rail rates and the freight
movement sought the cheaper way.
To supply New England with coal
against the coming winter, the rail-
roads. by means of priority orders.
are shipping 100000 tons of coal per
month more than normal
Provision for Construction.
But what about the building of
houses which are so badly needed?"
asked Senator Calder
Il believe that the construction of
houses. hospitals, water works, roads
and streets that should be built and
on, and | am sure that the railroads
can and will take care of this" he
replied.
The country at large is short more
imam Il T1llllOH IiOHl:S, II W DIS rear lieu
The shortage is. being increased be-
cause builders and contractors can
not get building marteial delivered
by the railroads since the priority or
ders issued by the Interstate Com
merce Commission give open top
freigth cars. to be laden with coal
the preference over cars carrying
building material.
Would Push Material Shipments.
1t was then suggested by Mr.. Will
/ lard that the committees of the con-
structfon industry should be APP
pointed through the Senate commit
tee on reconstruction in various To-
calities, which committees would
pass upon the necessity of construc-
ton projects. A corresponding COM
mittee of railway officials would be
appointed in these cities and the
railroad men push the delivery of
material for projects recommended
as necessary.
Another important suggestion made
by the Senate committee was that
the bureau of railway economies
which has at hand all data pertain
ing to freight costs. furnish figures
showing to what extent the advance
in freight rates will affect the cost
of building homes.
Since the Interstate Commerce