The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-27
RAILROADS FINISH
 RECORD YEAR WITH
 BRIGHT PROSPECTS
Association President In Re- view of Last IF Months Says Companies Do Not Intend
 Asking Higher Rates
BN Associated Press

Washington, December 2s.-Amer.can railroads are completing a record year and have no intention of asking for an other general increase in rates. Thomas Dewitt Cuyler, chairman of the Associa- tion of Railway Executives, declared to night in a statement reviewing the rail- road situation for the year of 1920.
 The year just ending. Chairman Cuyler asserted, saw American railroads placei such direction saw them move a larger gross tonnage than ever before and also establish new records in the amount or transportation gotten out of each car. These records. MT. Cuyler added, were not achieved by the railroads alone, but with the aid of shippers in unloading cars and with "the cay and night, rain or shine, work of hundreds of thou. sands of employees.
 The railway executive association chairman referred in his review to re- ports that the railroads plan to ask for further increases in rates, and in that connection, said:
 NO RATE HIKE
 T know of no movement on the part of the railroads for a general increase in rates, nor do 1 expect any. It is true that the railroad companies are not yet receiving from the increased rates aay thing like the Gs per- cent return needed. But the railway executives realize that they are arustees of a great public inter- +I,o of raj i1rna1 oDeratln1 expenses to the lowest possible figure and every effort will be made during the coming year to accomplish this by fur ther economies and efficiency.
 The achievements of the railroad com panies since return of their lines to pri- vate operation last March 1 were set forth by Chairman Cuyler as follows;
 'Increased mileage movement per freight car per day, 6.3 miles. from 22.3 to 8.6 miles,
 .Increased leverage road per car, 1.l tons. from 2S.3 to 90 tons
 Made substantial reduction in the number of unserviceable locomotives Reduced the accumulation of loaded hut unmoved freight cars from loS,25i OH March to q 991 on December 5, of Wnich only 6.3s6 were detained because or the inapility of the railroads to move them, "Relocated approximately 1S0,0oo box | cars rom lit tdot " etiS " movement of farm product
 "Relocated approximately 1so,0oo open top cars from the west 10 the east to keep up the production or coal.
 "Moved the third highest total coal production in the history of the coun- try.
 spent over $500 oO0oooo extra on i'm proving the maintenance or trachs' bridges. cars and locomotives. s(s~r,t ,t,aa tod GOO. 900 largely out of earnings for ad- ditions and betterments to. promote movement of cars.
 Made arrangements to purchase ap- proximately 50,000 new freight cars, 300 new locomotives and 1000 new passenger cars.
 Begun the reconstruction of thou sands of old cars,
 HUGE EXPENDITURE "Moved, with deteriorated plant, under disturbed labor and business conditions, the largest volume Nof traf- fic ever known in a single year, with the highest efficiency yet achieved and with a minimum addition to the value of the property on which the pubic has to pay return through rates" The railroad companies" MT. Guy ler's review added, have manufactured increased transportation capacity, not out of new cars and locomotives. but out of increased efficiency If the en- larged capacity provided by the com panies during the past nine months tsince resumption of Lrivate opera tion) had to be produced by new cars and locomotives. it would have re- quired the expenditure of approxi- mately s2.000 000000 q sum of money which would have been permanently added to the property value of the railroads as a measure
 Private ownership and operation Of I the railroads as a measure of sound I public policy." said Mir. Cuyler in con : cluding his review, rests largely upon i its superior efficiency and economy. In my judgment the American railroad companies, during the present year.
 have fully justified and during the coming year will make every effort to
 continue to justify. the support and confidence which public opinion in gratifying measures already accorded
 them"