Page:The truth about the railroads (IA truthaboutrailro00elli).pdf/146

Rh have been very fully occupied in trying to produce the railroad, and he has not, in every case, kept pace with the demand for special facilities. The owner of the private car stepped in and said, “I will provide cars for fruit and perishable produce,” and the fact that he did so helped to develop the orange business, the butter, egg, and dairy business, the fruit business, and the meat business. The owner of the car naturally has tried to get as high rates as possible on his investment, and in some cases there have been unreasonable charges. In the evolution of the railroad business, however, now that some other parts of the railroad are more nearly completed, the tendency is for the railroads to eliminate the private car and provide their own special equipment, and this alleged evil, if left alone, will correct itself in time, because a railroad, like every other business, must make use of all by-products, and cut out all waste, and will therefore buy and own all cars needed for its business.

Railroads have naturally been unwilling to spend the money, in every case, for private Rh