The Jersey City news., 1891-12-14
READY FOR THE GRAIN.
No Fears of ANY Block at
This End Of the
Trunk Lines.
CHICAGO TO SEND CARS EAST.
Pennsylvania, Erie, West Shore
and D. L. and W. officials
Explain the Situation For
"News" Readers.

Superintendent Allerton of the Erie
office when NEWS representative called
there this morning for further informa-
tion upon the great grain blockade at
Chicago. One of the bookkeepers said
the blockade had not affected matters a {
the elevator. There were one million
bushels of grain in the elevator
and 200 car loads-the usual quota
were being handled daily. He
did not see how it could materially affect
the markets In this section. The same
amount that had heretofore been handled
is still coming in. The trouble was the
accumulation of the crops west of Chi
cago. which had filed the elevators there
while there were not cars enough TO take
the blocked grain away. The closing of
the lakes and canals was usual occur
renee. The grain shipped through by
rail of course had a longer route than that
shipped via the lakes and canals aud from
Buffalo by rail.
Mr.. Starr, the Erie Superintendent of
Transportation, said he had heard no
talk on this side the river concerning the
company building new freight cars. He
understood the western roads were send
ing cars east of Chicago to relieve the
blockade.
AT THE WEST SHORE.
In the absence of Superintendent Wat
son. of the West Shore Railroad, his
Chief Clerk answered my inquiries in
reference to the grain traffic. He said:-
"Our grain traffic Is not larger this fall
than in any previous year. We are using
all our available cars, but are not crowded
or in need of any more cars. l am sure
;e, v.nxnyt hur in
previous years. and we are not making
any extra preparations to receive grain.
aad are able to handle all that may ar
rive"
At the Delaware. Lackawanna and
Western Railroad, the local freight super
intendent spoke much the same as was
heard before in the West Shore office.
He said: I'VE are using all our available
cars and are very busy, but not any
buster than we have been in previous
years.
Every December finds US very busy in
hondling grain shipments, but we are not
making any extra preparations TO receive
an extr ordinarily large shipment. and do
not need any more cars. We are able to
handle all the grain we receive, and are
| very busy, but not any more SO than In
| previous years"
F. AT THE GERMAN STEAMER DOCKS.
also visited the North German Lloyd.
| the Hamburg-American Packet Com
| pany, the Thingvalla and the Netherand
American Steums hip Docks. and at each
of the docks I was told that the con-
signments of grain received from ron,
large enough to choke the avenues
of TRANSPORT or necessltate any delay in
handling. The overseers at the docks all
professed to be able to handle the grain
received, aud each said that no extra pre-
parations were being made in anticipa-
% l,r rrix L., f,fr rrti frnt
any quarter.
AT THE PENNSYLVANIA ELEVATOR.
At the Pennsylvania Railway grain ell
evator, foot of Sixth street, grain Is
pouring in by the hundred carloads daily,
and the prospects are that the employees
work day. night and Sundays
in order to prevent a blockade. The
grain is being taken from the cars with
the greatest rapidly and transferred to
boats. The big slip adjoining the eleva-
tor is packed with boats, and as quickly
as one boat is loaded another Is pulled
under the shaft.
Tows of kfteen and twenty boats leave
the slip daily. The grain freight yard is
small one and accommodates only
about 800 cars. AS they are unloaded
they are drilled on sidetracks aud cars
of grain which are now necessarily
stored OH the eadowS run in. This sea-
son is an unusually busy one and larger
quantities of grain are been handled than
for several years. In January the rush
will be even greater, and
Superinteud Sherris is making
every effort to be prepai ed for the con-
signmenJ. Mr.. Ferris was not in his
office when l called. but the chief clerk
feels positive that no blockade will occur
on their road. The force of men is TO be
increased, and, If nee ssary, more tracks
will be laid iu the yard.
The clerk further stated that the rail-
way company had all tine cars needed to
transfer the grain which will he shipped
over the road. The only cause of a block
ade occurring at the Z. r. r. elevator
would be severe cold weather setting in,
which woul! necessarily prevent the
rapid TRANSFORMATION of grain from the
elevator in boats.
Superintendent Harris intends provid-
ing for an emergenc y of this kind by
having placed at his disposal for immedi-
ate use, all the Company's grain lighter.
The present great rush Is caused by the
partial breaking mp of the Western block
ade.