Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-20
IN WILD SCRAMBLE
FOR CAR PRIORITY
Industries Clamor for Prefer
ence in Allotment of
Equipment.
HOUSING PROBLEM ACUTE
Contractors and Manufacturers
Bring Up New Angle of
Transport Crisis.
HOUSING PROBLEM ACUTE
IRy Associa,.d rress.1

WAsHINGTOS. May Is.-A wild
scramble among individual lines of
industry for preferential treatment In
ear movements developed today as
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion gave Indication of reaching def
mite conclusions on plans to break
the freight blockade.
There was clamor for cars and
for priority orders by grain and coal
dealers. The American Gamers AS
sociation protested that. unless It's
shipments were moved ahead there
would be heavy losses in the Pitts
burgh. McKeesport and Youngstown
districts.
| BY letter. telegram and through
personal representation. the commits
sion. the American Railroad Associa-
TONS car service committee and rail-
road executives here were apprised
OF the urgent needs OF almost every
| line OF trade.
| WANTS 10000 Cars Transferred.
| a committee OF the executives
| It order the transfer OF 10000 box
cars from the Atlantic Scaboard TO
lines west or Chicago. and the reIo-
OF the Mississippi River, TO areas in
the freight congestcd East. This
should be done within the next
thirty days il a direct beneficial re-
suit was to be accomplished. the rail
heads believed.
/ Members Of the Michigan congress
sional delegation. together with rep
resentatives OF Michigan public
utilities. appealed to the commission
! for consideration in the movement of
coal 10 that territory.
| Views of the executives will be
considered and IA decision reached
"as soon as the complexity Of the
question permits" a statement from
the commission said. 1t also was
suggested TINT priority movement
should be accorded this relocation OF
equipment. which. however, was said
to be going forward now as rapidly
as possible.
| New Angle Prescnted.
Seriousness of the freight situa-
/ tion was pictured from u new angle
In petition presented to the Inter
state Commerce Commission today by
the National Federation OF Construc-
tion Industries. which includes asso-
Citations of brick lumber, cement.
glass and heating plant manufactu-
rcrs. The federation recited that In
normal times it's members furnished
one third OF the tonnage of the rail-
roads and its finished products ap-
proximate in value nearly $1,000
10000 annually
! The situation is particularly acute.
the petition declared. In view Of the
serious shortage in housing. which
! 1t was expected would be alleviated
within the next five months.
Congress wIthholds Funds.
While the railroad executives were
, pressing for new cars and !ocomo-
tives. Senate and House leaders de-
cided definitely against other appro-
/ priations to enable the roads to buy
additional equipment. Leaders said
| Congress would content itself at this
time by extending. from five 10 ff-
teen years. the period in which the
roads might repay loans made under
the transportation act.
With respect TO the movement OF
box cars westward and the counter
transfer OF coal equipment eastward.
the executives told the commission
it should expedite this exchange be-
cause of threatened extension of the
congested areas. The mission
said II would study details OF the
suggested orders and reach u deci-
sion speedily