The Washington times., 1920-09-27

, published last Week; the second tn
staliment follos0s.
HIS findings are timely IN Stet0 OF
the CRITICAL transportation problem
THAI has faced every line Of industry
stnce the railroads toere turned back
to pr.vdte ownership.
By THEO. II. PRICE
Editor Of Commerce. and Finance and
' ActuaPy Of u. y. Raslroad
AdAiaIstration.
The net increase in the bituminous
movement during the f1rst ten months
OF 1918 (under Government controD
was TAI ,666 cars, or 3IOS3,3OO tons,
over the movement during the frst
tenmonths of 1917, which had up to
that time been the banner year. The
record during the latter part or lela.
when another coal famine threatened
the country, is equally remarkable
During the summer of 1919 most con-
sumers of coal postponed their pur-
chsses in the hope Of lower prices,
and by September II became appar-
ent that unless production and trans
portation were accelerated the coun-
try would suffer during the winter.
The RAILROAD administration therefore
set itself to move 100000 tons or
=
Dyrema inder of the year. This minimum
was exceeded every week until No
vember 1.
. During the week ended october rs,
1919, 13, 3,2OOOO8 tons were transported.
This record has never been beaten.
In the month of October, 1913, the
movement approximated 56.243,OOO
tons. as compared with 81 900. 900 tons
in October. 1918, and 45, 100000 tons in
10, tSh cd
because under Government control
the transportation facilities of the
country could be used in common and
concentrated upon the quick perform
ance of any urgent duty.
THE GRAIN FIGURES.
From July to November, 1918, the
grain movement exceeded that or the
same period in 1917 by $4,000 cars,
, which was in itself a remarkable per-
rormance and really extraordinary
when the strain that the roads were
under in the movement of other war
traffic is considered.
In April, 1918. conditions were cha
otic in the oil. industry. A great
many refneries in the mid-cohti-
mental fields were shut down or work
insAonly half time on account of tbe
shortage of equipment The Railroad
= Administration "symbolized" the oil
cars, assembled them in solid trains
and moved them through to destina-
tion with unheard-of speed.
This method was so effective that
during the first ten months of 1918,
c56.08y cars were loaded and moved
from the mid-continental fields, as
compared with 200.603 cars during
the same period in 1917 and this in
crease of tonnage was handled with
Ia n
motive power used. From April 20 to
November 80, inclusive, there were
moved from the mid-continental oil
feds 1888 solid trains of oil, contain
ing 100,530 cars. In the month of
January 1918, the mileage per car
per day of tank cars of Western re-
fineries was 26.16. in June 56.27. and
in September 5S.4. the increase in
mileage performance being over 100
per cent. =
PASSENGER SERVICE.
The passenger service performed
under the Railroad Administration
exceeded all former records. The
number of passengers carried one
mile on class I railroads Operating
approximately 100000 miles of road)
for the past FIVE years is as follows:
! Year ended June 30, 1914, 34496,7s2,-
eSs; year ended June so, 1915, 31,-
!, 7S9, 9,92S.1s7: calendar year, 1915. 34,-
J. 585, 952,026; calendar year 1917, 49,
361,369,86g calendar year, 1918, A.
498,248,256; calendar year 1918 (partly
estimated), 46,200,000, 900.
On November II, 1918. when the ar
mistice was signed. the transportation
system of the United States had been
under the direction OF Mr. McAdoo for
ten months and eleven days.
The freight train load had been in
creased from an average OF 653 tons
in 1917 to 6Sl tons in 1918 The tons
hauled per mile of track daily had
risen from 3.sTS in January. 1918,
when the roads were taken over, to
5.i55 tons in November of the same
year.
The passenger train mileage had
been reduced by 6I,290.562 passenger
train miles through the elimination of
duplicate and unnecessary trains. and
although it was impossible to increase
the passenger car equipment the num-
Der of passengers carried one mile had
risen from 39.36l ,369, 062 in 1917 to
4249S24S,256 in 1918, and continued
to increase during 1919. when 46.20O,
600 900 passengers were carried one
mile.
The policy of rerouting freight also
resulted in an enormous reduction OF
the freight car mileage The exac,
figures are not available, but IL has
been ascertaincd that in the North
western region alone i.05t,455 cal
miles were saved by rerouting 34.94l
loaded cars and the saving Of freight
car mileage in the Eastern and North
western regions alone during the year
1918 is estimated at 16,S63,633 freight
ear miles. Terminals had beer
unified and many unnecessary ter
p,inaIs and ferries abolished.
For the frst five and one-hali
months of Government control there
was no change in rates. but in June