Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-16
Traffic Congestion
 in Eastern Ports
IS CAUSING A SHORTAGE OF
 FREIGHT CARS
CAMPAIGN OF RELIEF
Representatives of Thirty Railroads
 Have Reached @eentIemen's Agree
 ment" for "An Intelligent Embargo"

Washington, Feb. 15.-The chief railroads of the country took summary
 action today to relieve the shortage of
 freight cars and the traffic congestion
 at eastern seaports, again approach ing an acute stage because of the cur tailment of transatlantic sailings by
 Germany's new submarine campaign. Representatives of thirty roads, at a meeting here attended by interstate
 commerce commission officials, reach
 ed a '.gentlemen's agreement for a
 new and drastic campaign of relief, in
 cIuding the following measures. Embargo On All Export Shipments
 Adoption of regulations tantamount to a virtual em mbargo on all export
 shipments through eastern ports, un-
 til a part of the vast accumulation al-
 ready awaiting steamships can be cleared away.
 Liberal use of an intelligent em-
 bargo" on all domestic eastbound ship
 ments. Such an embargo, already ef-
 fective on some roads, may be extend ed.
 A policy of separating empty from loaded cars in the congested yards and sending the empties back, with western lines in solid trains. ahead of all other traffic except passenger train. Eastern roads agreed to give in ad- dition an empty car to their western connection for every loaded car re- ceived.
 Tarffic Will be curtaiIed. Export traffic through the east will remain virtually at a standstin during the period of adjustment and east bound domestic traffic will be greatly curtailed, if the plans work out The amount of freight for export has in creased greatly at eastern ports be- cause of the great decrease in steam ship sailings, since the severance Of diplomatic relations with Germany. One road is reported to have every track crowded and in addition cars loaded with export wheat standing on 94 barges in New Yorg harbor- Every eastern grain elevator is said to be overfiowing.
 New England Short of Grain In New England the railroad men say there is a threatened shortage of grain, while the flour supply of Pitts burgh, Philadelphia, New York and New England cities is none too large. At today's meeting it was decided to move two trainloads of fifty cars each east from Minneapolis daily, one lad en with wheat for New England, the other carrying flour to New England and the 3 cities named. Represents tives of Minneapolis milling interests voiced protest at the long delay in moving export wheat eastward, but when informed of the extraordinary efforts contemplated by the roads to stuffs in eastern cities they withdrew their objections and promised to CO., operate in meeting domestic needs Right of Way for Wheat and Flour. The two daily trainloads of wheat and flour are to be given the right of way over all traffic, except passenger business. Railroad officials believe the plan will succeed in averting any foodstuffs shortage in eastern cities. The embargo against eastbound ship
 ments, it was said, would not apply to foodstuffs for domestic use which will be expedited as much as possible. The roads also will move coal prompt ly to eastern cities and to any points where a shortage threatens
 l As fast as sailing ocean steamers diminish the accumulation of freight awaiting export at ca stern ports, the railroads will let down the bars of the
 embargo, permitting the shipment, ton for ton, of supplies to be replaced those taken away. In this manner, 1t is thought, the old accumulation can i be disposed of and fresh shipments will await their turn
 To Send Empty Cars West. Finding the empties in crowded wards making them into trains and ] dispatching them westward on fast freight schedules is a task which some officials regard as almost Herculean, though necessary if adequate relief is i to be obtained. All the roads, it was said, will work in close cooperation toward amelioration of conditions T IL AL-