The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-11-28
CARS ORDERED. E
FROM EAST MAY
EASE MATTERS
Railroad Commission Chair.
man, Home from Washing.
ton, Sees Improvement
LoADINGs ARE BETTER
Interstate Commission Will
Not, However, Surrender
Power to State Body

There is prospect for some relief
soon from the car shortage in North
Dakota, Frank Milhillon, chairman of
the state railroad commission, declar-
ed today upon his return from Wash
ington.
'In the seven days preceding last
Friday, the day I left Washington,
there had been As solid trains of
'empties' sent from the east to the
Great Nothern, Northern Pacific, 500
lines, Milwaukee, Burlington route
and. Union Pacific" Mr.. Milhollan
said. "There is good chance Of
improvement in the future, and the
situation is better now than it was
ten days ago. For example, reports
of the Great Northern show they are
now loading about 100 grain cars a
day compared to IS or 40 two weeks
ago" 70.
"But while the service is i'm
proved it still is bad" he added,
"and there are indications Of rank
discrimination. We have wired the
representative of the superintendent
of car distribution for the American
Railway Association for conference
here of Friday onS the matter"
f.. Name Committee!
At a conference of representatives
of state railway commissions in
Washington, committee of nine was
named, with Mr.. Milhollan as chair
man, to study the. car situation from
national viewpoint and report on
steh results. The survey will take
into consideration condition Of cars,
motive power. distribution and other
euipment. The conference decided
to ask Congress to repeal that sec
ton Of the transportation act taking
police power away from the states,
the North Dakota chairman said.
There appears now little prospect
Of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion deleatging to the North Dakota
commission power to control discrim-
ination in car loading within the
state, Mr.. Milhollan indicated. While
no answer was given, he said, bodies
created by the interstate commits
sion opposed the request. There is
possibility the state commission
may proceed under North Dakota
laws.
Lack Motive Power.
One of the chief troubles in the
car situation in the west, according
to Mr.. Milhollan, is that the North
west jsends loaded cars east and
brings fewer loaded car backs. There
also is lack of motive power on east
erns roads, he said, and while there
are thousands of cars standing on
tracks in eastern states the roads
are unable to move them west.
Instructions have been issued by
the Great Northern railroad to give
preference to cars of grain consigned
to the state elevator at Grand Forks
for storage, according to mes
sage received by the state railroad
commission from Supt. R. A. Nc
Candless of the Great Northern Rail-
way, Minot.
Mr.. Milhollan and Commissioner
Stutsman attended the express rate
hearing in Washington. Further
hearings will be had. The case orig
mated, he said, upon an investigation.
ordered by the interstate commits,
sion, followed by a request by the
express companies and carriers for
an increase. The express companies
reports showed them making more
than 8 per cent return, Mr.. M:lhol-
Ian said. He added that carriers
claimed the railroads were receiving
inadequate return, and that the ex-
press companies had voluntarily in
creased the railroads ompe,.sation
million and half dollars.