The Washington times., 1921-07-26


The total number of Federal con.
trolied carriers. including subsidi-
airy companies. was AIS. The mile
age of the Federal controlled roads
was 2Ss, 009.
The number of claims on final set
tlement filed with the Director Gen.
eral up to July Is. 1921. was 1874, the
aggregate amout claimed being $751;
O32.235. The mileage Of the roads
that have filed their claims aggre-
gates 1877 1910.
The amount Of claims settled by
the director general up to and in.
GLIDING July is. 1921, aggregated
$225.5S8.764 These settlements rep
resent some ~ per cent in number
of the claims actually filed. The
total amount paid in settlement was
$68.14l.227.
The largest single disputed item
In final settlement is the claim for
undermaintenance of way and struc-
lures and equipment. The under
maintenance claims represent more
than so per cent Of the total amount
Of claims filed. Included in these
claims for undermaintenance is the
much discussed claim variously de-
scribed as ''inefficiency of labor"
''ineffectiveness of labor" or 1.-THE
difference in the cost of applied ma.
terial as between the test and Fed
eral control periods this item rep
resenting some 10 or rs per cent of
the total undermaintenance claims.
Claims for inefficiency Of labor
have not been allowed by the Rail.
road Administration, not only, as
contended by the Railroad Admins.
tratfon, because such claims are not
contemplated by the standard con-
tract. but they are of a too highly
indefinite, speculative and contin-
gent character to warrant considera-
ton.
In addition to the claims on final
settlement, covering the various
items Of dispute between the carriers
and the administration. there are in
Vulnerable claims for loss and dam
age In the transportation of freight,
fire and personal injury cases, and
reparation claims growing out of
freight rate controversies. These
claims are being rapidly disposed Of.
and within reasonable time the ad-
tustment of same should be com.
pleted.
troll there was expended by the Rail-
road Administra ton, on tehalf of
the carriers, some 81 .144,000, 900 in
additions and betterments, properly
chargeable to capital account. OF
this sum an excess Of 1881 200, 900
was used In the purchase Of ad-
d1tional equipment. consisting Of
100, 900 box cars and 1000 loco
motives, and the expenditure for
this equipment has been taken care
OF IN equipment trust certificates
now held by the Railroad Ad-
ministration. This leaves about
1888 900, 900 of additions and better
ments which. II not funded, must be
deducted from the amount due from
the Railroad Administration to the
carriers In final settlement. An ex-
tension Of the time in which these
addition and betterment obligations
could be paid to such carriers as
could give reasonable and salts
factory security. would enable tho
carriers receiving this extens sion to
expend this amount OF money in the
much needed reha bilitat ton Of their
cars and locomotives, and apply the
usual and necessary maintenance
upon their way and structures, so
that the national system Of trans
portation could be equipped during
the coming fall and winter to
promptly and effectively perform its
duty to the public in the way Of
prompt and efficient transporta-
ton. =
Difference between normal and
present number and percentage of
bad order freight cars and locomo-
tives.
The percentage Of bad order
freight cars has not been below SO
per cent at any time during the past
five years. During the year 1917
II ranged between So and SO per
cent. While there is no general
agreement as to what the normal
percentage should be, IL seems to be
generally accepted at from to s
per cent. The percentage of bad
order cars on July 1, 1921, was 1875
per cent, or about 10 per cent above
norpal. The total number Of freight
cars in service at the present time
is about 2,4o0. 900. and 10 per cent
Of that number would be 240 900,
which represents the excess, or alb
normal, bad-order condition of
freight cars today.
The normal percentage Of bad or
der locomotives Is understood to be
10 per cent. The percentage of bad
order locomotives on July was 239
per cent. or II per cent above nor
NAL. The total number Of freight
and passenger locomotives exclusive
OF switching) is about $4,000. and IA
per cent of this would be 1000 To-
comotives, which represents the alb
normal bad-order condition of To-
comotives at the present time.
Deferred Maintenance.
The amount Of deferred main
tenance at the present time has
been conservatively estimated at
S400, 900, 900. OF which 5000 900, 900
represents maintenance of way and
5000 900 900 maintenance of equip
ment. That is, these are the
amounts which should be expended
on the railway properties to bring
them up from their present physical
condition to normal.
Shortage In Number Of Railway
Employees.
The total number OF railway en-
ployees in the first quarter of 1921
was 1881, al. This was less by
$40 ass than the average number in
1920, and less by 302.053 than in the
first quarter of 1920.
This manifestly means an enor-
nous Increase Of unemployment. II
tho railrnada in r,ooifion 20