Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-03
By HARDEN COLFAX
Especial Correspondent of The Tribune(
Ca1vriqlt 1900 Ry Great Falls Tribune

Copyright l922. BY Great Fails lrlbuhei
Wa. .hington. Dec. 2-Leading rail-
roads of the country are planning on
bringing their equipment back TO par.
The construction of many thousands
of freight cars and locomotives at ex-
perditures. totaling several hundred
millions of dollars over a period Of
two to four years, is under consid-
GRAFTON by seven or more OF the
chief carriers of the United States.
The chief obstacle TO the immediate
adoption Of the program has been up
to the present time. a satisfactory
method of financing the cost of the
added equipment The carriers are
hopeful that they will find way out
however. Some of them already have
ordered considerable number of ears
and locomotive. paying for them in
installmentS over period OF from
10 to 20 years, but this method is
deemed inadequate for handling
program Of the magnitude the car
riers have in mind.
Already. however. a general ten
dency is manifest on the part Of the
railroads to replenish their rundown
freight cars and locomotives. The
American Railway association an
freight cars added and installed dur
ing the first 10 months of this year
; at 117.o3s. shows five carriers have
4 built up their equipment this year
to a greater extent than in any single
year since 1914.
Car Shortage
A report made public by the joint
commission of agriculture discl0ses,
however that the number of freight
cars In operation at the present time
ia only q few thousand in excess of
the number in operation eight years
ago or at the end of 1914. During
that eght-year period the freight
handled by the railroads increased
from one billion tons annually on
originating roads at 200000,000 tons,
or more than D ner cent.
Carriers. considering the building
program have decided TO increase
their ear loading capacity to keep
step with the traffic increase, or
about - per cent above 1914 fig
urpS This does not mean necessarily
that there viii be . per cent in
crease in the number Of freight cars,
for cars built today average higher
loading capacity than those built eight
or more years ago.
The COMMISSIONS report also dis
closes that while the railroads have
increased the number of their freight
from 1914 to 1929. they increased the
number by 100000 during the pre-
ceding eight years.
Should all the carriers follow the
lead of those at present engaged IN
mapping out a rebuilding program, the
total number of cars and locomotives
TO be built within the next few years
VIII make this years record pale by
comparison There are not enough
steel car plants in the country to make
the demand, and the workmen employed
nc such plants would find steady work
for five or more years to come.
plans Of some of the carriers con
templating additional large orders for
equipment probably will mature within
the next 80 days or six weeks. The
coming wear. in the opinion of the rail
road officials will be the most active
within a generation in car building and
locomotive works. Even with present
business. these shops are paying top
wages to skilled workers and report
scarcity Of labor.
Optimistic Reports
The federal reserve boards optimis
tic report of conditions made Friday is
corroborated by surveys Of industry
made by private concerns during the
week One such survey analyzes the
financial affairs Of 100 large business
concerns engaged in almost every major
line Of activity except transportation.
1t shows that:
"For every company reporting a
decrease in earnings this year, four
companies reported an increase.
"For every company reporting an
operating deficit during the year,
there were nine companies that re-
ported increased profits.
'Thirty-fOur companies either in