Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1920 — FREIGHT SWAMPS ALL U. S. ROADS [ARTICLE]

FREIGHT SWAMPS ALL U. S. ROADS

Congestion at Terminals Worse Than at Any Time Since 1917. 235,000 CARS ARE TIED UP Appeal* for Relief Sent Into Washington to Commerce Body—Road* Short of Labor and Equipment. Washington, Muy 14. —The congestion of freight in the principal railroad terminals, probably the worst since 11)17, is beginulng to be felt in business and commerce all over the country. Appeals for relief pouring Into Washington to the interstate commerce commission, the rnilroMi hdmlnlstratlon, and to congress picture the big railroad gateways choked with thousands of loaded freight cars unable to move because of shortage of men and motive power. The appeals for relief contain prediction that unless the Jam is broken it will be reflected more than ever In decreased production, slowing down of industry, and probably a tremendous labor turnover.

235,000 Car* Tied Up. Latest reports compiled here by the committee on car service, American Railroad association, whose principal duty is to see that cars are supplied to sections in greatest need of them and to keep them moving, show 235,000 cars tied up or delayed In transit. Of this number 85,000 are at Junctions, with no labor to transfer them. On April 10 the total number of cars tied up was 288,000. Much of this was attributed by'railroad people to the recent strike.. There is pressing need today for 82,411 cars to take care of the most urgept demands, railroad men declare, although this shows a reduction of approximately 10,000 over April reports. Ease* Up In Last Ten Days. After spending half of tlie day at the telephone W. C. Kendall, head of the car service committee, announced that while the situation was bad it was not nearly so acute as ten days ago. “There is more noise, more of a concent rated kick,” he sold, “but the act-' mil tieup is less. There is an improvement. Last week’s figures indicated a coal production of 9,000,000 tons.” The big clamor, Mr. Kendall said, is for coal. Cpmmwrcial stocks have been depleted, and with the railroad surplus exhausted the roads had to confiscate it. Now they are trying to till the gaps. Demand for cars for grain from the Northwest and for refrigerator cars for California, and the southeast territory come next, be said, and added to this was the ever present dlfllcutly of moving buck the empties. Strike Added to Chaos. All reports show that the tieup was forced to a head by the recent railroad strike, not yet ended, accordin&to railway officials. At the time of the “unauthorized” walkout of trainmen and switchmen the roads were literally swamped with business. Trying to meet this with depleted equipment, ami wltii industries running at full tilt, the strike, railroad men asserted, was like the straw mat broke the camel’s back. Many shippers declared in appealing for help that they were at the point of being forced to close their plants for lack of coal, jaw materials and; cars to move the finished product. Appeals for aid came principally from the big industrial centers.