Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-10
SERVICE
NEEDS MORE CARS
Shortage Chief Cause OF De.
lay, Merchants and Man.
ufacturers Learn.

Delays in handling of express ship
ments in and out of Washington arc
due primarily to a shortage OF cars,
and not to a lack OF efficiency or CO.
operation on the part of express COM
pany officials the special committee
on express service of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association point
ed out, in it's report to the board OF
governors of the association at q
meeting yesterday afternoon in the
rooms of the organization.
The report OF the committee, or
which Anton Stephan is chairman.
was made after an investigation OF
the physical elements entering into
the operations OF the American Rail-
way Express Company.
Lick Adequate Facilities.
The committee. in its report. how
ever. stated that as a result OF the
greater development of Washington
track and platform facilities for the
handling of express matter are NOT
adequate to meet the present needs
and are certainly incapable OF car
ing for future developments"
There is only platform space Tor
twenty-three cars at the express
house" the report said, while there
are l60-odd cars per day handled in
W
only serves the need of Washington
merchants but is used as a transfer
point for express matter for the south,
which further demands space and
equipment for the handling of express
| matter which is of the utmost i'm
portance to merchants in these days
| of scarcity OF merchandise"
Plans have been made. the COM
mittee reported. for increasign the
| pla torn facilities to forty-fiye cars
! and that an additional track will be
| placed for the handling of milk.
The report also praised highly the
| system employed in the local delivery
! of express matter and the facilities
| for the unloading of express matter
| at the warehouse.
We find an average Of 1886 pieces
! of express matter delivered in Wash
automobile trucks Of two to three
and-one-half-tons capacity" the re-
port stated, "of which about 80 per cent
are in daily use. The express delivery
trucks are in operation from am. to
pm. daily.
Unloading Methods Praised.
The facilities for the unloading OF
Washington express matter are ad-
mirable. They are sent from the plat
form by chute to the lower level, at
which point they are distributed to
| the various routes. AS the express
matter is about to go down the chute
the date of arrival is stamped in red
| figures, which will prove an admirable
guide to Washington business men in
; checking up future delays"
Recommendations were made by the
| committee in its report that the Mer-
| chants Association of New York and
| those in other large titles be advised Of
| the delays in express shipments to
| Washington due to the congestion In
New York and other points and that
the association and others be urged
| to assist in the development Of eff
cheney in express service.
| Shortage of express and freight
cars and labor trouble at other
points" the report added. demand the
! fullest measure of cooperation"
The committee also urged express
users to telephone their calls for ex-
press trucks before noon each day.
Goods to be sent by express. the re-
1port said. should be substantially
packed and plainly marked with the
! name. address and city of consignes
as well as the shipper.
/ In addition to Chairman Stephan, the
committee was composed of H. T. on
terdinger. Herbert J. Rich and Charles
]. Columbus.