The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-16
80 ROADS VOTE
EMBARGO; HALT
EXPORT TRAFFIC
Summary Move Is Taken to
Relieve Congestion of
Freight in Country.

GC14CVC OO11SCOG4Ol4 VI
Freight in Country.
Washington, Feb. 16-The chic
railroads of the country took sum
! mary action yesterday to relieve tn,
shortage of freight cars and the traf
fc congestion at Eastern seaports
again approaching an acute stage be
! cause of the curtailment of trans
atlantic sailings by Germany's new
submarine campaign.
Representatives of thirty roads, a.
meeting here attended by Inter.
state Commerce Commission officials
reached 'gentlemen's agreement
for a new and rastic campaign of re.
lief, including the following meas
ureS:
Adoption of regulations tanta-
mount to virtual embargo on all
export shipment through Eastern
ports until a part of the vast ac-
emulation already awaiting
steamships can be cleared away.
Liberal use Of IAN intelligent
embargo on all domestic east
bound shipments. Such an en-
barge, already effective on some
roads. may be extended.
A policy Of separating empty
from loaded cars in the congest-
ed yard and sending the empties
back, with other released by I'M
loading, to Western lines in solid
trainloads, ahead Of all other
! traffic except passenger trains.
Eastern roads agreed to give in adj
dition an emtpy car to their Western
connections for every loaded car re-
ceived.
Export Traffic at Standstill.
Export traffic through the East
will remain virtually at a standstil]
during the period of adjustment, and
eastbound domestic traffic will be
greatly curtailed, if the plans work
out. The amount of freight for ex-
port has increased greatly at Eastern
ports, because of the great decrease
in steamship sailings since the sever
ance of diplomatic relations with
Germany, the, congetion at Eastern
yards, it was said, having become so
serious that it is extremely difficult
to move anything.
One road is reported to have every
track crowded and, in addition, cars
loaded with export wheat standing on
40 barges in New York harbor. Ev-
cry eastern grain elevator is said to
be overlooking, and in addition, there
are 100000 bushels Of export wheat
in. Minneapolis which have been
awaiting transportation east for more
than two months.
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 yesterdays meeting 1t was decided
to move two ,trainloads of so cars each
east from Minneapolis L.aily, one lad
en- with wheat for New England, the
other carrying flour to New England
and the three cities named.
Representatives Of Minneapolis
milling interests voiced a protest at
the long delay in moving export wheat
eastward, but when informed Of the
extraordinary efforts contemplated by
the roads to prevent an actual short
age of foodstuffs IN eastern cities they
withdrew their objections and prom
Used to cooperate in meeting domestic
needs
The two daily train1oads Of wheat
and -four are to have the right Of way
over all other traffic except passenger
business. Railroad officials believe
the plan will succeed in averting any
foodstuffs shortage in eastern cities.
The embargo applying against, east
bound shipments, it was said, will not
apply to foodstuffs for domestic use,
which will be expedited as much as
possible. The roads ..lso will move
coal promptly to eastern cities and
to any points where a shortage
threatens, directing their first ener-
gies to keeping the lines open for
coal and food.
As fast as departing ocean steam
ers diminish the accumulation Of
freight awaiting export at eastern
ports the railroads will let down the
bars Of the embargo, permitting the
shipment, ton for ton, of supplies to
replace those taken away. In this
manner it is thought the old accumu-
lation can be disposed Of and fresh
shipments will await their turn.
Schedule of Food Trains.
The Commission on Car Service,
which has authority to act for the
American Railway Association in re-
lieving the car situation, announced
last night that the plan for eastward
movement Of grain and flour from
Minneapolis would be carried out
through the following detail:
Two trains weekly, each Of fifty
cars of flour, from Minneapolis to
the Pittsburgh territory, via
Pennsylvania lines and the Balti-,
more & Ohio Railroad.
One train weekly of fifty cars
of flour from Minneapolis to
Philadelphia, via Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad.
Two trains weekly, each of
fifty cars of flour, from Minneap-
oils to New York, via the Penn
sylvania Railroad and the Balti-
more & Ohio Railroad.
One train weekly of fifty cars
Of flour from Minneapolis to
Buffalo, via the New York Cen
trail lines.
Two trains weekly, each of fifty
cars Of flour, from Minneapolis
to New England territory, via
the New York Central and Penn
sylvania line. -
A daily train Of fifty cars of
feed stuffs, oats and corn, Gin
GLIDING seed oats.) from Min