Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1917-02-23
YARDS Of EAST
GIVE Up CARS
BY HUNDREDS
[Repubican A. P. Leased WireJ

[Republican A. P. Leased WireJ
WASHINGTON, FEB. %. Many
empty freight cars rolled west ar
passenger speed today from congest-
ed railroad yards of the east, accord
ing to interstate commerce commits
sion advices from its investigators.
Fair weather and a holiday gave the
roads first rate opportunity in
more than a week to exert their
maximum energies to relieve the car
shortage that has threatened famine
in some sections of the country.
Officials of both the railroads and
the commission expressed the oonvic-
ton tonight that the acute stage of the
shortage had passed and that steady
improvements in the situation would
continue. The number of cars in
volved in the tie-up increased by
more than one-third il the two weeks
between January Y and February
10, and or the latter date reached
the grand total of 165,274.
In the absence of detailed reports,
the car service commission of the
American Railway Associate was
unable to say definitely what steps
had been taken to relieve the short
age of gas coal which threatens a
possible interruption" Of service of
light, heat and power companies in
die western states. 1t was assumed,
however. that the commissions re-
quest of yesterday that coal be rush
ed to tn point most needed, was being
follow ed.
The situation at Chicago. while
causing some concern to government
and railroad officials, was not regard
co here as desperate. Officials said
similar conditions prevailed to
great extent, at other cities through
out the country.
so far as reports relate to short
age it was said. both at the interstate
commerce commission and the car
service commission, that there was
nowhere in the country at the pres
ent time an actual shortage of food
or fuel needed for domestic con-
sumption.
Every city in the east. it was said.
SO fan as known, has plenty of food
for immediate requirements and ris-
ing prices could not be justly at
tributed to shortage. Reserves had
been almost wiped out in the case of
flour in New England, but the situa-
tlon there was reported TO have i'm
proved measureably.
The 1924 cars involved in the
general tie-up are distributed in every
section of the country and include
all classes, loaded and empty, which,
for reasons due to congestion, are
temporarily withdrawn from trans
portatior service
Cars held up in the southwest
We're:
Kansas. Colorado, Oklahoma. Miss
ouri and Arkansas. 1898, 25 pei
cent increase; Texas, Louisiana and
New Mexico, 1921. a $50 per cent in
crease Oregon Washington, Idaho,
Nevada, California, Utah and Arizona,
1860, Is per cent increase.
A national board of food control
with powers to regulate farm labor
conditions and the distribution of
products by the railroads. was urged
here tonight in a statement by Joseph
Hartlgan, commissioner of the city's
bureau of weights and measures. as a
means of relieving the present situa-
! ton and reducing prices
Ihe underlying causes of the
! threatened food famine, Commissioner
! Hartigan declared. were the shortage
OF farm labor and the increased cost
| of farming implements and other
articles necessary for production He
| suggested that if a national board of
food control were formed, it might
be we'll to consider the feasibility of
bringing farm labor here from the
| Philippines
With respect to the situation in
th's city, where rioting was resumed
today by housewives in the more
con2ested tenement districts, Com
missioner Hartig2n said financial ac-
ton by small group OF public spirit
| ed citizens could speedily bring re-
lief He added that he knew where
large quantities of potatoes and
onions could be purchased cheaply
and sold here at cost
About 500 carloads of foodstuffs.
consisting mainly of meat, poultry and
potatoes, were reported to be due here
tonight.
Hundreds of inspectors from various
city departments were at work
throughout the city all day in an effort
to obtain all information possible for
presentation to the mayor and board
Continued on Page Two)