Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-03
SOLID COAL TRAINS
MOVING EASTWARD
Fuel Is Given Preference over All
Other Freight in Tran.
sit.
LABORERS MOBILIZED.
Cities and Corporations May he Called
Upon to Furnish Men to Unload Coal
Mt Congested Terminals.

Washington, Jan. 2.-Solid coal trains
were ordered moved eastward ahead of
all other freight tonight after conferences
between the dircctor-general of railroads
and the fuel administrator on further
plans for speeding coal to New England
| and other sections short Of coal in the
| midst of a blizzard. The railroads were
directed to give preference so far as
possible to shipments from mines nearest
| the destination to curtail hauls and
promote efficiency.
| The organization of a great army OF
laborers loaned by cities and corporations
| to unload coal and other freight at con-
gested terminals now Is under considera-
| ton, and some thought even has been
given to the possibility Of having soldiers
assigned to these tasks II the civilian or.
ganization proves impracticable.
| Transfer of locomotives from the West
and South, where congestion is not sc
serious and weather less inclement, was
planned by Director-General McAdoo and
his staff. With the equipment will come q
number Of employees from those districts
to assist tho overburdened East. Reports
Of frozen boilers in locomotives, and trains
stalled in snow, led to special considera.
ton of u plan Of augmenting the available
motive power on trunk lines east of the
Mississippi and north of the Ohio river
An immediate embargo on movement of a
| number Of non-essential products also was
discussed
Despite the weather freight actually is
moving faster than before the government
| assumed management. according to re.
ports from interstate commerce commits
sion inspectors. Congested switch yards
are being cleared without regard to old
priority orders. At least ten trains car.
rying in all 500 cars of coal reached New
Jersey terminals during the day, and
MANY were either routed through the
Pennsylvania passenger tunnel or ferried
to the East river for transfer to Brooklyn
or despatched to New England.
Nine ships were pledged by the shipping
board to carry coal from Hampton Roads
to New England. Director-General Nc.
Adoo devoted almost his entire time to.
day in consultation with members of his
advisory board and Fuel Administrator
Garfield. Tomorrow he will turn his at
teton for, a while from operating and traf
! fc problems to discuss the labor situation
under government operations with heads
of the four railway brotherhoods who were
invited to confer with him. They will bt
told Of the pressing necessity not only
for retaining all present workmen. bu
ice, and for sustaing high order o,
efficiency under the governments opera
tion plan.
Wages probably will not be discusse,
| at the conference except in a genera
way, but the brotherhood heads may b.
told that the entire problem of read
justing wages will be taken up by th
railroad administration as soon as tn
more immediate operating and traffi
questions are disposed of.
Officials are anxious that railroa,
employees shall not get the impression
that any wholesale cur,ailment of job
or salaries is in prospect. Although
number of railroad agencies which ar
not considered now that competitive
conditions have been abolished, may b.
eliminated eventually, it is considere,
probable that the employees will b
transferred to other branches of tn
service. This rearrangement apple
particularly to traffic solicitors. public
ity bureaus and legal advisers.