The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-15
80 RAILROADS

~ hAILnUAUS
tContinued From Page One,
various larger western lines in Chi
cago and vicinity are:
Illinois Central. 3,4OO cars
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, S,eOo
cars.
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, 1000
cars.
Chicago & Northwestern, 1000
cars.
Chicago & Alton, $50 cars.
Officials estimate that over 3O,UUu
cars of freight are tied up in the Chi
cago yards and west of Chicago. Many
roads are not accepting freight bound
for destinations east of Chicago, as
they are unable to deliver it under
the prevailing congested condition
Arbitrary Ruling by Railroads
New York, Feb. 15.-The immediate
cause of the serious freight congeS-
ton reported by many interior cities,
railroad men declared today, is their
policy of refusing shipments to New
York of freight for export unless the
shipper can prove that he has cargo
room engaged so that his goods can
be loaded on boat Immediately after
it's delivery here. The rigorous ap-
plication of this rule has transferred
the accumulation of freight that
otherwise would be piling up here to
the warehouses at manufacturing and
producing centers in the west and
south.
+ AS to the freight transportation sit
uation number of causes are as
signed. Among these are the reduc-
| ton on the amount of freight leaving
New York because of Germanys new
submarine policy, cold weather and
snow, which has delayed trains and
interfered with truck deliveries in
cities and shortage of cars
| The car shortage, according to w.
| G. Besler, president of the Central
railroad of New Jersey. is due to the
congestion of loaded cars at terminal
points and the difficulty experienced
| by consignees in unloading their
goods.
| More Embargoes in Effect.
! For the purpose of relieving termi-
nal points, the railroads in this terri
| tory are imposing new embargoes. Be-
ginning today, the Lackawanna will
refuse freight for points west of Buff
| falo in order to clear its yards there
and allow eastern shipments to come
| thru. The Pennsylvania has applied a
| delivery by truck in this city on all ex-
cept perishable freight, foodstuffs
| government supplies and newsprint
| paper. The New Haven has in effect
| an embargo against shipments in less
| than carload lots for delivery in New
Haven or for transfer at New Haven,
where the congestion on that line is
| the most severe. At the offices of
the New York Central, it was said
that measures would be announced
| soon along similar lines.
The situation it is expected will be
| considered by the executive commit
| tee of the American Railway associa-
ton which meets here tomorrow.
Must Dump F'oodstuffs.
| Meanwhile the associations car
service commission is cooperating
with the 1. C. c. it was stated here
| today endeavoring to work out plan
| to relieve the situation. If the en-
bargoes are continued one result it is
predicted. will be the dumping of
| thousands of tons of foodstuffs into
domestic markets in order to prevent
the food from perishing. Railroads
are said to be suffering heavily finan-
cially, and it is pointed out that, only
by unloading supplies at the Cities
| where loaded cars stand idle, instead
Of holding for expectation, can the
| situation be relieved SO that some of
the embargoes may be lifted.
Will Affect Factories Soon.
The seriousness of the congestion is
emphasized by what shippers here
characterize as a virtual blockade of
Atlantic ports, particularly New York,
the ships of the acknowledgements line,
Scandinavian-Ameri line, Norwe-
| Sldn-AIncTlCdH line ana american
lines, and with one exception the YES
sells of the Swedish-American line are
tied up here, their holds entirely filled
or spoken for. Only the Stockholm of
the Swedish-American line has a def
mite sailing date-tomorrow.
Railroad heads here are informing
manufacturers that this situation, if
continued. will result in unemploy-
ment in factories, which must reduce
their outputs, and in a consequent de-
crease in the transportation of raw
material.
Drastic Embargo at st. Louis.
st. Louis, Feb. ia far reaching
embargo has been placed by most OF
the trunk lines running east of St
Louis on all carload freight except
perishable matter
The Big Four will not accept car
load shipments of non-perishablc
freight for points east of Indianapolis
the Pennsylvania will accept no car
load shipments eastbound, and the
Baltimore & Ohio will accept no thru
carload shipments from connecting
lines at East st. Louis. The Chicago
Burlington & Quincy will accept nc
thru carload shipments for the east by
way of Chicago and will bring nc
western freight into st. Louis fol-
trans-shipment east, unless prior ar
engagements are made with the east
ern connecting line to handle theil
! cars. None of these embargoes appiy
to package freight.
EMBARGO HITS KANSAS CITY.
Situation Rapidly Growing Worse fol
Railroads There.