Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-02-22
||LR0AOS ACT ON
CAR SHORTAGE
|rsDortation of Gas Coal and
|oke Ordered Rushed to Cit
les of Middle West.
in SERIOUS PLIGHT.
shows Sev England Faced F1our
minc Last Week and livestock
|Wns Starving for Lnck Of Feed.

snington, Feb. 21.-Drastic measures
ccaution were adopted TO-DAY by me
railroads Of the East TO meet tAry-
emergency needs for coal and GOOD
from the Mississippi river 10 Maine
10 the acute shortage and congestion
eight cars.
eff of these measures was the de-
In Of rush orders to AL roads con
ed for the prompt transportation or
roal and coke 10 is towns and cities
ding Chicago, Detroit. INDIANAPOLIS
io and Springfield. ILL.,. in the middle
where 1t VAS announced "possiSie
ruption" of light. heat and power
ce would result unless tho shortage
relieved at once.
shortage was said 20 he the most
at indianapolis where tho coal sup
for gas was reported to DC Only three
ahead of requirements. chico COS
n ton emergency store ot ;7as coke
been cut to 23GD tons, barely sum
for three weeks service. although
ago was said to be better supplied
any other city on the list.
interstate commerce commission is
avoring to meet the situation in CO.
hllOn Will Tue TdliIOdd IilVIs "a t'i'
from President Griffin of the Chi
board of trade appealing for relief
asserting that riots would result un-
an embargo were placed Immediately
| Il products out of Chicago except fuel
foodstuffs stirred UP considerable in
alton on the part of the commits
and drew a prompt reply.
ia compiled by the American Railway
citation was made public to-day show
diminution at New York, Philadel-
Boston and Baltimore of the num-
of cars of export freight on hand
the amount of wheat held in eleva'
and cars awaiting ocean Transports
officials of the association declared
was little likelihood of n general
stuffs or fuel shortage in the East
car shortage is said to be less acute
a year ago
this connection it became known thai
+eek ago virtually every town ant
in New England faced flour famine
that livestock all through New Eng
was starving for lack of grain ano
ompt action by the railroads in ship
feed. flour and grain ahead of pas
Ter trains from Minneapolis has tenn
rily relieved the pinch.
that time, It was learned the com
kon ordered the railroads to strain
fy effort to extricate the thousands
mpty cars from their congested yards
rush them West for grain and fioul
be brought East. New York. Phila
hia, Pittsburg and other cite:
-o1 lN1v cnr
One of the roads protested that thu
ties were frozen to the rails and tina
,ould be impossible 10 get them out
was told to use dynamite il neces
announced by the railway associa
the following towns and cities fac
Eible interruption of service of thei
producing plants:
bicago. Oak Park. H., Blue Island
Evanston. H.. Kankakee. H., De
indianapolis, Bloomington. Ill.
lington. Iowa, Cadillac, Mich. Cold
er. Mich, Dekalb, ILL.,, Galena. i'll.
roe. Mich. Rockford H., Springfield
Toledo and Waukesha. Wis.
TO relieve this critical situation" read
associations statement, 1.-The associa
mas requested AL TaiirOauS W idcii
the prompt handling of shipments "
Goals for gas companies serving tn
ic, modifying any embargo that ma
n effect"
kerstate commerce commission Off
believe that the situation at the af
ed towns and cities will be quickl
we'd If necessary 1t is understood
and coke shipments for gas maxim
he given the right of way over pas
ger trains.
vestigators of the commission hav
sent to virtually every railroad var
my size in the East and middle Yves
are reporting daily by telegraph tn
cement of cars. Several instances Q
recedented congestion are understoo
ave been relieved by the investigator
o-operation with the roads.