The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-09-30
ARE SHIPPERS 70 BLAME FOR
POOR TRANSFORMATIONS


a car survey carried on in 4e4
towns Of the State. for a period Of Z
days. by the Illinois Agricultural AS
ISOLATION, showed that 10 per cent Of
the cars on track the first day were
still there the last day The survey
did not show in whose hands those
cars were held. When this report
was published. C. H. Markham,
president Of the Illinois Central rail-
road, asked the agricultural associ-
alton for the initials and numbers Of
the cars on their line, and he has
traced down every one Of the e6
cars. In a letter to Secretary d. o.
Thompson, Of the farmers organiza-
ton, he shows that more long delays
are occasioned by shippers holding
ears to load or unload than by all
other reasons combined. President
Markham states: "The most inmedi-
ate problem railroad executives have
to face is the speeding up Of the car
movement. 1t is necessary that ev-
cry freight car perform the greatest
sevice to which it can be put. for the
speeding up Of car movement means
the adding of cars to those in SER
vice" SO that farm shippers win do
their full share in relieving this stu
alton. Secretary Thompson has sent
a letter to each Of the 81 county farm
bureaus calling their attention to the
delinquency Of shippers IN delaying
cars and urging prompt loading and
unloading So far as the Illinois
Central railroad is concerned, their
FIGURES indicate that slow movement
Of cars is not due to the inertia Of
railroad officials
The following is the statement
given to the press by Mr. Thomp-
son.
Mr., G. Fl. Markham, president Of
the Illinois Central Railroad COM
pany in letter calling the attention
Of the Illinois Agricultural Associa-
ton to certain inaccuracies in the de-
tails Of their freight ear survey re-
Gently reported gives history of
each can az shown by their records.
A study Of this record indicates that
In Sd far as the officials Of the Illi-
nois Central Railroad are able,
prompt movement of cars is being
ACCOMPLISHED. His analysis Of the de-
tails shows that more long delays in
freight cars are occasioned by ships
ners either failing to promptly load
empty ears upon receipt or failing to
promptly unload loaded cars than by
all other reasons combined.
Mr.. Markham concludes: "The
most immediate problem railroad exs
ecutiyes have to face at the present
time is the speeding UP Of car move
ment. 1t ID necessary that every
freight car III the country perform
the greatest service to which it can
be put, for the speeding up Of car
movement means the adding Of ears
to those in service"
D. O. Thompson, secretary Of the
Illinois Agricultural Association, re-
Gently issued letter to the SO county
farm bureaus Of Illinois, calling their
attention to the delinquency Of ship
pers in delaying freight cars unduly
and urging that those Of the $4,000
membersof the association having cars
to load or unload do 50 promptly up
On receipt of the cars. Mr.. Mark
HAMS ANALYSIS Of the figures indi-
cate that the answer to the question
raised BY the agricultural associa-
ton as to whether the apparently
slow movement Of freight cars was
due to the inertia Of railroad offic-
ials is decidedly in the negative in So
far the Illinois Central railroad is
concerned,
With the switchmen's vacation end
inc and the return Of great numbers
Of experienced men to work and with
the railroad officials exerting them
selves to efficient movement Of cars
/ 1t now seems un to all shippers to
exert themselves to release cars with
the greatest expedition.