The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-30
GENERAL EMBARGO
ON FREIGHT LIKELY
Congestion Forces Pennsylva.
mia to Follow Action Of
Lackawanna.

Tie Pennsylvania Railroad announced
yesterday that ut midnight an embargo
would go into effect on export -four and
lumber In tho port OF New York and
that tho ruling would apply to all export
freight trade at Philadelphia and Balti-
more Coming almost on the heels of
the Delaware, Lackawanna and West
ern refusal to accept further export
shipments this action serves to illustrate
more clearly than any n other thing
the seriousness Of freight congestion In
| lar seaiUoards.
Al tho same time mat the Penn
s~ylvania announcement was received a
despatch from Baltimore announced that
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad had
declared an embargo on export freight
through New York because Of the over
crVwding Of tho yards at st. George.
staten Island.
Railroad men d. not hesitate TO say
that "A general freight embargo may re-
suit. without exception. they say that
the Eastern railroads are straining AT
every point 20 keep their lines open and
that with every embargo announced the
pressure is becoming more acute.
The Now York Central has managed
so far 10 keep its freight moving. hut 4
Is admitted that the DAD will probably
have to follow the precedent established
by the Lackawanna II further diverted
1 freight business Is piled upon IL.
The Trunk Line Association last week
decided that the antidote Tor the present
situation would be the cutting down o.
FREQ time storage allowed Oh certain
classes Of freight. and further ~restric'
tons which would result In influencing
shippers not to flood the Eastern sea
boards with their products.
But In the opinion OF local traders and
shippers, this decision caine loo ate ia
alleviate present conditions and further
will not 20 into effect until January |
1916. In the meantime the congestion
grows and more alarming factors enter
Many of the smaller forwarding agents
have closed their doors because OF their
inability to handle the business they
receive. A large percentage or the ocean
tonnage arriving IN Atlantic ports Is ne"
to the stevedores who stow the export
materials aboard. and more time Is re.
uuired in the loading OF the ships TIT
tonnage OF the Individual vessels Is
| known, but the stevcdore who has Il
tisure on space AZ well us tonnage faces
a series of holds strange 10. MN. Ac-
cordlng to report. some OF the export
freight slowed aboard outgoing vessels
is unloaded again within u few hours
of sailing time, when urgent munitior
! orders from the allied Governments are
rushed aboard.
; Railroad men rciteratc the fact thai
one of the particular reasons for tht
present condition Of most OF the East
eru railroads is that in many cases Tn.
munitions manufacturer has In his con
tract Il clause calling for ~ o. b. New
York delivery Only. and that his re-
: sponsibility ends when the cars lenve his
factory, while the railroads have TO ''hold
the bag."
When a manufacturer or a shipper is
willing To bill his materials sc. !. r.
through TO their destination. and makes
the necessary provision for their ship
ment on indicated vessels the railroad;
will accept the freight and do all thai
they can to expedite its movement.
The length OF the embarsoes
will lie determined by the length OF time
il will take the vessels now sailing from
New York and the other Atlantic sea
ports to carry away the excess export
materials at present overiowing East
! ,rn terminals.