The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-05
FREIGHT CONFERENCE ISSUES STATEMENT OF WORK DONE IN
 ALLEVIATE FREIGHT TIE-UP
Excellent Progress Made Through Adoption of Measures of Relieb-Sub- Committees Are Active More Than Score of In spectors are Sent Through New England and New York Harbor.

In response to inquiries as NO NAAO progress made in relieving the con rested freight conditions existing on eastern railways, the Eastern Freght Accumulation Conference, compoSeo Ot Interstate Commerce Commissioner D- E.. Clark and the executives or the eastern railways, has autnor4zeo tiAe following statement:
 made as a result of the organazatlon of the Eastern Freight Aecumulatlon Conference on March IT, Tn a Htele over a week several efTect1Ve meas ures of relief have been adopted, con siderable territory has been cleared +o 3nernoit of more efficient handing or freght. information has been gathered which makes possible the placing or raising of eInbargoes upon a. oasls tisste meets the requirements or the Whole situation rather than the interests or an Individual road and the active CO., oneratfon of shippers, trade organ1za- lions and public service commissions has been secured and co-brd1nated ro a common end.
 The work of the conference has been carried on largely through sup committees The sub-c committee on freiet,t accumulation which was ap- pointed shortly after the organ1za- ton of the conference, has had ac- tive charge of the gathering or oata as to. conditions in sections so Tar 1h- vestigated. This committee has sent out 21 inspectors in New England and New York harbor territory. Through the efforts of this committee the slt- uatfon in New England has been ma teriaIIv improved, and much or the New Haven territory opened up TOT business already under load ana neiu LID on account of embargo. A reduc-. fion in the total number of cars on the New Haven system and reclaimed against the New Haven was erected in less than three weeks to the e17 tent of il, ,260 cars. This has naturally relieved the whole situation, ana m cidentally resulted in a saving or $5,OoE daily, in per diem charges on cars' po the New Haven
 The inspectors sent into New Eng land examined 42 principal points. They made exhaustive exam1naI1onS into conditions at these points with the result that they were able 10 sug- gest improvements in methods of han ding to the receivers of freight and in facilities to the railway oH1ctaIs- Tn this respect the benefits to be derived from the work of these inspectors VIII be cumulative.
 A large number of the piers in New york harbor have been visited ana studies made of conditions existing at them The committee has been able to formulate some valuable recon mendations from the investigation so far made at these piers, both m re- gard to Improvements that might De adopted by the railways ana also py the consignees.
 The sub-comnnittee on embargoes has been in daily session considering hundreds of requests from sn1pperS from all parts of the country. Ine New Haven embargo has been mate iraly modified by this committee. the Erie embargo on grain has been raised to the extent of. 150 ears per day, and the New york Central embargo on ex- port grain has been raised subject to accordance by designated agent and upon satisfactory proof of ocean con- tract for vessel space This commit tee has the whole situation at it's in gers' ends and as quickly as any par ticuIar section may be opened up the order is issued. By giving the em- bargoi committee the widest authority no embargo may be placed or raised on any road that would adversely af- feet the whole situation. Interstate Commerce Commissioner Clark is chairman of this comnittee.
 The sub committee on traffic has of fered several resolutions which have been acted upon by the conference Tariffs have been revised as a result of their investigations, among them being one providing that export bills of 1ading will only be issued when founded on written contracts. Traffic moving under these bills of 1ading is allowed IS days free time after which regular storage charges shall prevail This is expected to relieve materially theS congested situation at the sea- boards.
 Thereafter freight consigned to New York harbor must be <consigned to a specific destination. If reconsigned after delivery in New York harbor a charge of S2 per car will be made.
 A < 4111 To of ence the traffic managers committee of the Trunk Line association was di- rected to arrange to modify existing tariffs to prevent the shipment of freight to the seaboards on domestic bills of lading and upon arrival re- consigned for export. This practice has been indulged in by many ship pers to defeat the purpose of the em- bargoes. - Under the new tariffs that will be filed with the Interstate Com merce Commission. freight consigned on domestic bills of 1ading may not be reconsigned for export with the privileges accorded freight on export bills of lading.
 The conference wishes to take this opportunity to express its apprec1a- ton of the hearty cooperation it has received from trade associations, ship pers, consignees, and public service commissions. The Mea'chants' associa- ton of New York and the Chamber of l Commerce of Boston have been par
 ticularly helpful, and many of the re- lief measures adopted by the confer ence have originated with those or
 ganizations. The conference and the i Merchants association are working in
 absolute harmony in their efforts to
 relieve the congested situation in New
 York harbor. The public service com
 missions of practically all states have
 approved the changes in the tariffs
 adopted similar to the approval grant
 ed by the Interstate Commerce Com mission.
 ] The conference feels that a most
 healthy progress has already been Drought about, and that the outlook i for the future is bright It is expected that in the near future some of the inspectors in the New England district