The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1920-08-23
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
IN SOUTH DAKOTA
REPORT OF THE DELEGATION
APPOINTED TO VISIT IN,
WASHINGTON.

! Pierre, Aug. 23.-J. J. Murphy,
chairman of the South Dakota board
of railroad commissioners and men,
| Der of the traffic division of the state
| committee for improvement of bus-
| ness and general economic condi-
| tions, has just returned from Wash
! ington where he presented to the in
| terstate commerce commission the
requirements of this and neighboring
! states in respect to car supply for
! the movement of the present crop.
This matter is of vital impor-
! tance and in response to a request
| for information as to present condi-
| tions and future prospects for trans
portation service, Mr.. Murphy makes
the following statement:
Some weeks ago the shippers of
| South Dakota held meeting at Wa
| tertown, which was called by the
state market commissioner for the
| consideration of transportation mat
| ters within this state, with particu-
| lar reference to the movement of
| grain and live stock out of this terri
| tcIN I4dltl, StlllldI meet llSS were
held at st. Paul, Mimi, and Fargo,
| y. D. AS a result of these meetings gs'
| a committee consisting of representa-
| tives of the railroad commissioners
| Of South Dakota, North Dakota and
| MinneOta, was selected to go to
| Washin gton and arrange for a hear
ing before the interstate commerce
| commission in regard to the supply
| of equipment necessary to handle the
| anticipated movement in the north
west. 1t was arranged that such a
| hearing should be held at Washing
| ton on Aug. 8, at which time repre-
| sentatiyes of the producing, shipping
and commercial interests of the
northwest were herd. Representa-
| tives of like interests from Kansas,
Iowa and other northwestern and
| central western states participated in
| the hearing.
The testimany presented developed
interesting information regarding the
car situation in the northwest and in
the nation as a whole. 1t clearly ap-
| peared that there is a shortage of
| Equipment ON all the railroads in the
| United States. By comparison with
| other railroads in eastern and cen
| tain other sections of the country,
the principal grain carrying roads in
the northwest are not well supplied
with cars. AS an illustration, the
| Chicago & North Western railroad
owns approximately $4,000 box-cars,
and had on it's line on August / 102
per cent of that number. The Mil
waukee railroad owns about like
number and had on the date last
mentioned the equivalent of 92 per
cent of it's ownership. The Great
Northern, Northern Pacific and Soc
lines, also heavy grain carrying roads
of the northwest, were no so well
| equipped The available records
, showed that on August l, the Great
Northern had on its own lines the
f equivalent of IA per cent of its own
ership; the Northern Pacific 81 pei
cent, and the 500 Line about II pei
cent, the average percentage for al
the grain carrying roads of the north
, west being about sc per cent. This
percentage is very low for this sea
, son of the year as compared witt
} other years. For instance, in 19l!
on the same date, the percentage:
were as follows: Northwestern, 1O4
/ Milwaukee, 103; Great Northern, 70
e 500. rs; Northern Pacific, 90; Min
neapolis & ST. Louis, 90; Omaha
/ 1O2: Chicago & Great Western, SO
y In 1918, Chicago & Northwestern
112; Milwaukee, ia; Great North
ern, 10; 500, 65; Northern Pacific
10; and in 1917, North Western
131; Milwaukee, 90; Great North
ern, 8S; 500, 90, and the Northerl
Pacific 73 per cent.
/ An important factor which tend
to make the grain car situation NOR
serious this season than formerly, l
the fact that at this time large pro
portion of cars located on these lines
by reason of their original construc
: ton or subsequent>lack of repair, ar
unfit for grain loading. Thus the ae
tual percentage of cars available TO
use in moving the present enormou
!, crop is greatly reduced from the fie
" ures first shown above.
At the conference at Washington
strong effort was made to induce tn
interstate commerce commission
increase the number Of empty DO
cars in this territory, in order ths
= the crop might be moved in season
. the western representatives emph;
sizing strongly the necessity
prompt movement and marketing
IN the products of the farm and rang
tn in order to avert a very serious cor
merciaI and financial crisis.
The urgent need of more emp
on cars in the grain producing section
IS was apparently recognized by the i
ID, terstate commerce commission, al
h, subsequent to the Washington co
ferences the movement OF empty b.