The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-07-23
OPEN TOP CARS
GETTING |NTQ.BAD.
NAY,SA.YSEIPERT
Callahan Gives Interest
ing Talk To w. Va.
Operators

DEER PARK, Md, July ga
Centralized purchasing Of railroad
fuel is proposed in the Ludlow plan
that would play a large part in re-
organizing of the railroads Of the
United States, said John Callahan,
Washington, D. G., traffic manager
Of the National Coal Association,
In addressing a meeting Of the
Northern West Virginia Coal OPP
orators Association at the Deer
Park Hotel, here Friday afternoon.
This Is regarded as one Of the most
menacing features Of the bill. Be.
ing a railroad fuel section the Fair.
mont region would naturally be
greatly affected.
The Ludlow plan which has been
presented to the senate committee
as one Of the schemes to tide the
railroads over their difficulties. The
object is to save the railroads mil.
lions Of dollars in the purchase Of
fuel. There is q possibility Of the
bill being passed.
In his review Mr.. Callahan dis
cussed the status Of means before
the Senate Interstate Commerce
Commission committee. Changes
the railroads think should be made
in tho transportation act were also
covered.
Proposed changes in the mining
rating and car distributing rules.
which the Interstate Commerce
Commission has asked railroads to
make especially insofar as to avoid
imitation Of mine ratings was dwelt
Ipon. Proposed changes were out.
lined and described by the speaker,
While the changes suggested are Of
little moment in these days when
'emptics are not in demand it was
pointed out that when car short
ages arc on and empties are in de.
mand a decided change will be
wrought. The changes involve the
methods of arriving at the mine
rating; computation of the rating
Of mines having capacity Of less
than one car a days. absolute re-
quirement i'll connection with the
use of mine time versus Triple time
and arriving at the rating; climin-
alton Of the distribution Of mine
rating and car distribution reports
now made TO operators by the rail.
roads and changes in the rules af-
tecting the holding Of unbillcd loads
on mine tracks. III
Comparisons were made of open
top cars as It existed when the
railroads were taken over by the
government as compared with the
situation today. Mr.. Callahan
pointed out that bad repair car sit
uatlon Is growing worse. The gen.
eral status of the cars used BY coal
shippers was much worse now than
at any time since 1917. When the
carriers went into the hands Of tho
government the percentage Of bad
order cars was five and one-half
while today the bad order cars az.
gregeted Is percent in the country.
That is, there are three times as
many bad order cars now Tim.
there were when the government
first took over the railroads, All
railroads are hard hit but the B. &
Q. system appears to show up con-
slderably better than the vast ma
1ority Of the carriers. Figures
were given to prove the contentious
made by Mr.. Callahan. One Of the
startling statements made during
his address was that the gross in
come Of the railroads of the coun-
try in 1915 was 1851, 000, 900 while
the carriers in 1920 carried a nav
roll of $3,69S, 100000.
Another official Of tbs National
Coal Association was present in the
person of W. B. Reed, secretary Of