The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-16
EMBARGO WON'T
HAMPER LOCAL
MANUFACTURES
Bridgeport Officials Expect
\ Benefit Rather Than
Harm From Change.

The embargo against shipments tc
Eastern ports for export which has
been agreed to by the railroads fol-
lowing the government order that
railroad congestion be cleared, will
benefit rather than hamper Bridge
port.
This is the opinion entertained to-
day by representative industrial heads
in this city.
From the viewpoint of railroad au-
thorities the contemplated embargo on
all export shipments, which is expect
ed to be ordered on the New Haven
lines today, as we'll as throughout the
United States, will greatly aid the To-
cal manufacturers as well as provision
and coal merchants who have during
the last three months been seriously
Handicapped by lack of raw materials,
grain, feed and household commodi-
ties. ~ "a
With the exception of a few NUM-
tion-making factories here the larger
part of Bridgeport's industrial partic-
ipation in war orders has been Tor
parts which are assembled else
where. This work will continue un-
abated, Awaiting unrestricted shipping
facilities that are expected to be Of
fered by the Allies campaign against
the present submarine warfare, &C
cording to well informed manufactur-
ers here today.
The intensity Of the transportation
problem facing the United States as
result of the dearth of ocean-going
vessels Is seen today in statements OF
railroad officials that the entire net
work Of railroads east of Chicago IS
practically tied up as a result of load
ed cars and the shortage of coal.
L. B. Nickerson, general freight
agent of the New Haven railroad, with
offices in Bridgeport, Informed The
Farmer today that official notification
of the embargo against export ship
ping had not been received here as
yet but that it was expected within
the next "a hours.
81 do not see how it would greatly
hurt the interests here from casual
reading Of the published reports in
the newspapers. The stopping of ex-
port shipments which now cannot get
outside Of the country would tend to
clear the rails, in a way. for other
business So far as Bridgeport is con-
concerned it will clear the way to get
much needed materials in and out Of
the city.
'"The lines of the New York Gen.
trail are blocked as far West as Buff
falo, Detroit is badly congested and
I have reports from agents in Cleve-
land showing that the coal situation
on railroads there is so serious that
engineers and firemen have been
nearly frozen to death at their posts.
There is a great congestion of cars
at Jersey City and also at the con-
Meeting point of Maybrook.
can embargo on export shipments
will give much opportunity of reduc-
ing these blockades on lines connect
ing with the New Haven road and will
bring to Bridgeport much raw ma
terials, foods and grain that is sorely
needed in New England in general
Frederick A. Bennett, secretary Of
the Manufacturers Association offer
ed the assurance that no complaint
had been offered by members of that
association to the embargo upon ex-
port shipments reported to be in pre-
paration. He believed that factories
would continue stocking their goods
and completing orders.
Herman K. Beach, secretary and
treasurer of the Bridgeport Metal
Goods Co., closely identified with the
export manufacture, said:
Bridgeport factories manufacturing
articles in whole or in part for the
Allies will not be affected by the en-
barge for they simply will continue on
their contracts, either storing their
product for opportunity of shipment or
sending the parts elsewhere in the