San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-01

Throughout the year there was a
shortage of labor. The opening up OF
plants which had been shut down not
only in the equipment business but in
many other lines brought about a COM
petition for labor which raised wages,
increased the turnover, and made
operating conditions generally unsat-
isfactOry. The low output Of the plants
increased overhead charges. so that when
orders taken in the early months 81
the year based on the hope Of full
operations were turned out the esti-
mated costs were not realized and red
ink figures were the result.
The difficulties throughout almost
the entire year in getting raw mate
rails. particularly lumber and steel.
also seriously cut down the output of
the plants and further increased costs.
1t is significant Of the transportation
situation in the country today that the
shortage OF railway equipment Is large
" responsible for the difficulties and
delays in supplying the new equipment
so badly needed at this time.
Foreign Buying Disappears.
During the war years foreign nur-
chases Of cars and locomotives helped
materially TO make IN for the small
buying in this country. In fact. for
! eign purchases Of cars for several years
past made up a very considerable per-
centage of the total business.
So much for 800. The outlook for
the coming year. due to the large
carry-over and the known needs of
the railroads. is decidedly better. Most
plants have work enough ahead 70 keep
them busy for many months and some
have orders on hand sufficient to carry
them practically through the year. As
the plants have filled up. prices re.
Gently have been somewhat better and
should show a margin Of profit Of there
are no further increases in cost of labor
and material, and if sufficient volume
of output can be maintained to keep
overhead expenses within reasonable
limits.
In recent speech before the Rail-
way Business Association in New York,
Charles II. Markham, presiden. of the
Illinois Central Railroad, made the
statement that Fin the live years end
ing with 1921 the number of locome-
tives in service actually decreased 664;"
that in the same rsriOd THE number
of freight cars in service actually de-
clined 1881" and that THE decline
in the amount and capacity of the
equipment provided has been accom-
panied by a corresponding decline in
other facilities provided"
Need for Transportation.
The cars and locomotives built in
recent years have been of increasing
capacity and there has been greater
efficiency in handling. Making full
allowance for this, however, il is very
evident that transportation facilities
have not kept pace with the growth
of the country. The railroads have
been oyerregulated and have not been
in a position TO earn or borrow the
funds necessary TO keep their deveI
opment IN with the expansion of other
industries and the country generally.
Even under the most favorable con-
ditions it is going to take several years
and an enormous amount Of money for
the carriers to catch up with the growth |
of the country and put themselves in a !
position to furnish adequate transpor- |
tation facilities. The present shortage |
represents an accumulation over a per- |
iOd of ten or fifteen years of excessive |
anu iSStIIS'iVh' III alui'AVii
the situation has been temporarily ag- |
grayated by the strikes of the coal
miners and the railroad shopmen.
Demand for transportation, in the
meantime, is still furtL increasing
and there is very serious complaint,
particularly from the agricultural dis
tricts, of loss of markets and crops due
to the inability Of the railroads to
handle shipments Unless the public can
be broughtPto n understanding of the
real facts Of the situation, the present