The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-01-30
RAILROADS Will CARRY ON
Until TAKEN over March |

not at any time been, and of cours
is not now, in position to obtain the
additional new equipment which is
needed. Such equipment is charge
able to capital account and of course
therefore must be paid for by the
railroad companies.
Some Things Accomplished
To make this inadequate amount OF
equipment go as far as possible the
railroad administration has pooled
equipment in order to equalize the
supply as far as possible and give all
shippers as equal treatment as possible
sndcr the circumstances; has made
use OF the permit system in order to
avoid accumulations; has appointed
special terminal committees to speed
up the movement of freight through
terminals where great deal OF delay
has occurred in the past; during the
prevalence of difficult situations in
the wheat growing territory has given
preference to the loading of wheat
on the ground; has placed the refrig-
orator car supply of the country un-
der one agency to get the maximum
utility out of all such cars available
has carried on constant campaign to
bring about heavier loading Of equip
ment during the prevalence of the
greatest need for the movement of
coal and at the present time has given
coal preference for loading in open
top equipment; has eliminated CIR
cuitous routes as far as practicable;
has transferred Locomotives at differ
ent times to the portions of the coun-
try where they were needed the most;
and has given special attention thru
centralized agencies to take care Of
seasonal requirements and meet pc
culiar conditions which have resulted
from bad weather and certain drought
conditions, and in every way has tried
to the very utmost to make the equip
ment and locomotives available do
the greatest possible amount of serv-
ice.
by reason of these expedients of
unification the railroads were enabled
in the fall of 1919 to handle an excep-
tionally large business under excep-
tionally difficult conditions. The
postponements of buying in the spring
concentrated an extraordinary demand
for commodities in the fall. For ex-
ample, there was an exceptionally
small output of coal in the first six
months of the year and consequent
intense demand for coal in the fall.
Beginning with movement of II ,OOO,-
GOO tons of coal per week early in Sep
TENDER, the railroads built up this
movement to over 100000 tons in
the week ending October Is. making
an acreage weekly movement largely
in excess OF any prewar movement.
At the very time when the demands
OF business of all sorts were becom-
ing most pressing, the necessity arose
for moving the wheat crop. From
July 6 to December 26, 70 per cent of
the wheat crop was MOVED from the
farms; the volume moved was 645,-
$4,000 bushelsA7,940,O bushels more
than had been moved during the same
period of 1918
VIII Continue Present Policy.
The problem has been intensified
by the falling off in loading per car
from 1918, when under pressure of
the war very heavy loading was Sc
cured. The loading per loaded freight
car fell from an average of 2o.2 tons
in the first IL months of 1918 to 27.S
tons for the same period of 1919, or
a decrease of 4.So per cent. this repre-
senting loss of more than 10000
cars available for loading. This fall
ing off has occurred in spite OF CON
tinued efforts OF the railroad admin
'stration assisted by the cooperation
Of many shippers.
Nevertheless the railroad admins
tration proposes to continue to utilize
to the end of federal operation all the
advantages given by unified control:
/ wishes to give shippers this assur-
,nce and to ask their continued CO.
operation.
WALKER d. HINES.
Director General of Railroads"