The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-01-24
CAR
SHORTAGE WILL
HURT INDUSTRY

WASHINGTON. Jan. 22--WarninE Of
a car shortage during the next two
months was issued to shippers today
by Director General Hines OF the rail-
road administration, with request Tor
continued cooperation TO make the best
Of the situation.
The director general pledges tho
railroad administration to make every
effort to meet the condition and points
out what he CharaCtcrizcs as the limi-
tatiOns with which it will have 10 deal.
General industrial activity. the set
back which transportation suffered dur
ing the coal strike and the fact that the
railroad administration. facing an early
return Of the roads to privat" owners,
may not huy additional freight cars arc
the principal elements in the problem.
the director says.
ITO make this inadequate amount OF
equipment go as far as possible" says
the director general. the railroad adj
ministratIOn has pooled equipment in
order 10 eQualiZc the supply rs far as
possible and give all shippers as equal
treatment as possible under the circum-
stances: has made Use IF the permit
system in order to avoid aCCumulatiOnS:
has appointed special terminal commit
tees to speed up the movement Of
freight through terminals where great
deal Of delay has occurred in the past:
during the prevalence OF difficult situa-
tions in the wheat-EruwinE territory
has given preference TO the loading of
wheat on the ground has placed the
refrigerator car supply Of the country
under one agency TO get the maximum
utility out of all such cars available:
has carried on constant campaign to
bring about the heavier loading Of
equipment during the prevalence of the
greatest need for tho movement Of coal
and at the present time has given coal
preference for loading in Opcn-top
equipment: has eliminated CirCuit0uS
routes as far as practicable: has trans
ferred locomotives at different times to
the portions of the country where they
were needed the most: and has given
special attention through centralized
agencies TO take care Of seasonal re-
Quircmcnts and meet peculiar conditions
which have resulted from bad weather
and certain drought conditions. and in
every way has tried to the very utmost
to make the car equipment and locomo-
tlvcs available do the greatest possible
amount Of service.
by reason IF these cXpcGlcnts Of uni
fication tho railroads were enabled in
tionally large business under exception
ally difficult conditions. The postpone
m"nt of buying in the spring concern
tratcd an extraordinary demand for COM
mod!tics IN the fall. ForcXamplc. there
was an exceptionally small out put Of
coal in the fall. beginning with Il
movement Of 100000 tons of cuad per
week early in September, the railroads
built up this movement to over 49,
600. 600 tons in the week in excess If any
pre-war movement. At the very tim"
when the demands OF business OF all
sorts were becoming most pressing. tn"
necessity arose for moving tn" wheat
crop. From July s TO December -,
7G per cent OF the wheat crop was moved
from the farms; the volume moved wa9
64j.3lS.000 buShcls-7.9iO.N 00 hushcl;
NOR" than rad been moved during tn.
same period Of 1918.
The problem has been intensified by
the falling eff in loading per ear from
1918. when under pressure Of the war
very hCaCy load ing was secured. The
loading per loaded freight car fell from
an average Of 30 tons in the first II
months Of 1915 10 rs for the same
period OF 1919. Or a decrease of 4.S9 per
cent this representing q loss Of more
than 10000 cars available for load
ing. This falling off has occurred ia
spite Of continued efforts If tn" rail-
r"ad administration. assisted by tho CO.
operation Of many shippers.
Nevertheless. the railroad admin.S-
trati"n proposed to ContInu" to utilize
tn the Cd Of federal operation all tn!
advantages given by unified control. II
wishes I" CIV" shippers jhisS assurance
and to ask their continued Cu-Vpcra-
ton"