New-York tribune., 1920-07-12
Railroads Hauling
More Traffic Now
Than Last Year
Increase Is Made Despite
Car Shortage Caused by
the Inability to Make the
Capacity Equal Demand

failure of the roads to increase their
capacity. but by their inability to in
crease that capacity rapidly enough to
match the greater changes in +he pro-
drction and distribution of commodi-
ties.
During the period from March 81 to
June IL the principal railroads moved
8,264, ,485 carloads of freight, compared
with 7,708,927 carloads during the cor
responding weeks Of 1919. In the week
ended June IL the number of carloads
for the week ended June IL, 1919, an
increase of nearly $4,000 carloads.
With respect to coal, concerning
which there has been apprehension Of
serious shortage from January / to
June IL the railroads transported 80
600, 900 tons more than they did in the
corresponding period Of 1919.
Transportation Volume
"The volume of transportation which
the railroads can haul for the moment"
says American Railroads." "is there
fore measured practically by the ex-
listing number of cars multiplied by the
number Of miles which these cars can
be made to travel each day.
"This total volume of transportation
capacity cannot be made equal to the
full capacity of existing facilities be-
cause their effectiveness has been de-
creased in the following ways:
Il. From date considerably prior
to our declaration of war on April 6,
1917, it has been impossible to make
normal additions of new cars and loco
motives and normal retirements Of old
cars and locomotives.
"2. 1t has been impossible to give to
cars and locomotives that degree of
repair and overhauling which is es-
sential to first class conditions.
"3. 1t is impossible with the present
facilities for the repair and reconstruc-
tion Of equipment, and the present out
put of labor engaged in that repair, to
remedy this situation rapidly.
"a. 1t has been impossible to provide
the additional track and yard capacity
necessary to handle larger movement.
SIN addition to the effects of strikes
there came about a dislocation or a
mallocation of thescars of the country
in relation to the traffic which those
cars are intended to transport.
"The correction of this condition was
the purpose Of Service Orders Nos.
and 8, recently issued by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. The railroads
! moved 10000 box cars from the East
to the West for loading of grain, and
have moved 10000 open top and coal
cars from the West to the East, in
order to keep up the production of coal
Speeding Repairs
"The railroad companies themselves
without any orders Of the Interstate
| Commerce Commission, are bending
every energy to returning cars to home
roads wherever possible; to speeding
up the repair Of cars and LOGON motives;
and to speeding up the movement Of
trains so as to increase the mileage o1
freight cars every day, and thereby tt
expand the volume of transportation
capacity available for the country.
"They have ordered the following
of their own resources:
Estimated
Value as O
: May s, 1920
Freight cars...... PITTS $91,567 ,40'
Passenger cars. 596 17,880,00'
, Other passenger
train equipment. az $4,000
Locomotives ....... 518 33,670,00
Total value. $3.50. :. .$144, ,O57 40
"In addition, the various companie
have applied for loans from the fun
of $30O,O0O,OO0 provided by the trans
pcTCatIOH act Wnicn tnc IHteTStAC
> Commerce Commission is authorized t
loan to enable the railroads 'properl
to serve the public during the transi
tion period Immediately following tn
termination of Federal CONTROL
Urges U. s. Loans
"The Association Of Railway Execu
tives has recommended to the Inter
d state Commerce Commission that loan
n totaling approximately 100000
. should be made to various companie
to enable them to:
RECONSTRUCT 1872 locomotives an
12,424 freight cars;
"Loans to some twenty-five CON
d panies, amounting to nearly SGT ,000,0 ,0o'
= to enable them to acquire 500 locome
tives and 139 switching locomotive
: having total value of approximate
k $4,000 900;
e Loans to some nineteen companie
y aggregating approximately $52.000,00
: to enable them to acquire approx
r mately $4,000 additional freight car
+ having an estimated value of approx
! mately $144, 100000, and
Loans to some twenty-five con
panies, aggregating approximately $35
I 100000, to increase the facilities fe
It the repair of equipment, extension {
. yard tracks, passing tracks, roun
uVuSCo otlA tCktAAAdA AAVlAAtICSS OIt
L other words, for additions and better
9 ments which will promote and increas
g the movement Of cars.
= Nevertheless, all of the above e,
= penditures, with the addition Of Sc,
+ eral hundreds Of millions of dollar
contributed by the companies, wi
only partially reduce the deficit mac
Il by the war, and even this partial col
il tribution cannot be actually realize
= in additional cars, locomotives and f,
: cilities before next year"
o Bank of Germany Statemer
j. BERLIN, July 1.-THE statement {
!. the Imperial Bank of Germany, as {
!" June 80, shows the following changes
y INCREASES.
q Treasury. certificates ....... 75s9e0.O(
n HLls discounted .......... ia, ,79s, III. OF
= Circulation ...,....s......... 2,318,602, OF
.pEcREAsE;s;. : = 's''0''O'
Marks.
: xEyoin Eoin ...................... 100. OF
|. Notee ..............~.....~ 8S7,0(
l Auvancea .s........,.... 4,464,0t
8 cnvecImAntS ................ 11.616,0t