New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-29
Lines Have Secret Plans
to Keep City from
Starving.
MILK AND MEAT
SUPPLY IN PERIL
Would Quickly Be Elk
hausted if Complete
Tie-Up Came.

Officials Of the railroads on which
New York City depends for its food
supply said yesterday that plans had
been made for the partial operation of
practically all railroads entering the
city in the event Of strike. These
plans were not divulged, the execu-
tives not being willing to SHOW their
hands to the brotherhoods."
"We have done everything possible
in the way of preparedness" said an
official Of one Of the largest provision
carrying roads. "Our plans are lard
and if the strike comes we shall be
ready to do all that is humanity pos
sble TO keep New York from starving
We don't expect our road to be COM
pletely crippled. On the contrary. we
think we shall be able 10 move con-
siderable freight"
At the general freight Office Of an
other railroad thousands of envelopes
addressed to freight agents and other
officials Of the road were pointed out.
Each Of those envelopes contains q
printed order headed, instructions in
Case OF General Strike" explained
the official in charge. "You see our
preparedness campaign is complete,
even down to the printing"
In case Of a strike. 10 is understood,
q system Of preferential freight trans
portation will be followed. Certain
goods, classified as articles of primal
necessity" will be carried TO the eX-
clusion Of ali others. Staple food
stufs will come under this heading,
milk. meat and flour receiving prefer
once over all other articles.
Provisions Now Preferred.
The roads already are putting pro-
visions ahead Of other freight, it was
stated. in order that stocks of food
stuffS in the city may be augmented
before the threatened strike can be-
come an actually.
An embargo on all freight intended
for export is planned, and ban on all
shipments Of ammunition and other
war material will be put into effect as
soon as a strike is called.
an spite Of all the railroads can do"
said an official. "there is bound TO be
a scarcity Of food in New York. The
city lives from hand to mouth as far
rs its staple foods are concerned, and
the best the railroads do in' normal
times is to supply the demand. We
shall concentrate our available re-
sources i'm an effort to transport the
mails and such foodstuffs as we are
able"
MIX dealers were at a loss to know
how they would receive supplies IN
The event Of a railroad strike. Ac-
oording TO Henry NJ. Hslloek, vice
president Of Borden's Condensed Milk
Company. New York consumes more
than 100000 quarts of milk daily.
Most OF this comes from upstate New
York and New Jersey.
Milk Company Considers Appeal.
ave should be badly crippled by a
railroad strike" said Mr.. Hallock. 81
don't know what we should do. We
could bring in some milk by motor
truck from Brewster, y. Y, and pos
sibly from New Jersey, but that would
be a drop in the ticket. This com
pany is considering appealing to the
railway brotherhoOds, asking that they
agree TO the operation of milk trains
in case of q strike"
A shortage in the milk supply. at this
time, physicians say, would be q disas-
ter tantamount to a sentence of death
upon the majority of infant victims OF
the infantile paralysis epidemic. The
stock of condensed milk in the city Is
small.
Provision dealers of Washington
Market say a railroad strike of a weeks
duration would put them out of bust
ness. Stocks of butter, cheese and fruit
on hand, they declare, would be ex-
hausted in three days following a gen
eral strike order. The surplus Of fresh
meat on hand in New York is small
according TO the head Of large stock
yard company.
Butchers and produce men have been
securing the country for beef, veal
lamb and pork on the hoof for the
last ten days, in anticipation Of a rail
road strike, he said, but very small
shipments have been received. "If the
strike tied UP livestock shipments" he
continued, "NeW York would be without
fresh meat in two days"