The sun., 1918-01-15
Only Fuel and Food to Be
Moved Till Situation
Clears.
FREIGHT JAM WORSE
Embargo Ordered on All
Roads in Eastern and
Central States.
TRAFFIC. AT STANDSTlLL
Lines Virtually Blocked From
Pittsburg and Buffalo to
the Mississippi.
TRAFFIC. AT STANDSTlLL

Storm condition.. which have null,neA
the best laid plars Of the Dircctor-Gen-
eral OF Railroads and Of his assistant IN
the East. A. II. Smith. resulted yeste--
day in the worst freight tieup from the
Atlantic coast TO st. Louis that the couu.
try ever suffered from.
1t is SO serious. indeed, that an order
from the Director General TO the prcsi-
dents Of all roads in the immense storm
bound area 10 give preference to fooh
and fuel trains over passenger service Il
expected to issue from Washington this
morning. Complaints Of a desperate ma
ture have poured into the office Of the
was admitted last night that Washington
is meditat!ng drastic steps for relief.
Hitherto. even in the Gripping freezes
of the past few weeks. the railroads have
been able TO move food supplies with
reasonable celebrity. Their main din
Guilty had been with the transportation
Of coal. Yesterday it was obvious tina
the food situation has become as onrous
as the coal situation. New York is suf-
fering less. perhaps. than any distric,
affected; but the peril is growing here
Freight At standstilI.
Freight movements Of all kinds we-.
virtually at a standstill yesterday be
tween New York and st. Louis There
were practically no freight movements
in or ovt OF ST. Louis. Many passenEer
trains were annulled. others very late
There was. however. an ample supply Of
commercial and railroad coal. The tie
up at Indianapolis has been complete
but a moderation in weather conditions
was expected to-day. There was no
prospect of improvement at Fittshuft.
where low temperature and high wind
staggered railroad operation. Accord
Ing to the reports received by A. II.
| Smith last night, there has been No
movement Of freight between PittsburG
Buffalo. Chicago and St Louis for twe,.
tyfour hours No imagination was re
dlired 10 comprehend what that mean
as regards the food situation and Goa.
supply. Chicago was able 10 repor-
conditions very little improved from the
preceding day
On top Of these dis,resses came ths
news that an Ohio Valley storm, Is NOV
ing north and cast and venting it's fury
upon railroad operation. More snow
was expected at Chicago last night. ard
, eastern Indiana and Ohio were looking
for heavy storms. Wires were down
! throughout the central states. Scores o.
! freight trains were stalled in ten foot
/ dries. There never has been a plight to
compare with the present one. II waa
said last night at Mr.. Smiths once.
Trains Many Hours Late.
A. the New York Central offices il var
said tha. all through trains we're from
ten 10 twelve hours late, while trains be-
tween Buffalo and New York ard SYRIA
cuse and New York were from five o.
seven hours late. IN many instances
these delays weic not due to snow drifts
bat 10 freight congestion. At the Penn
sy.yana station Il was reported that
. tickets Tor points beyond Fittsburg we're
being sold subject 10 delay and tl1a-
through trains were from, twelve tn
tweuty-four hours late. There vas .
general tieu', on all lines east Of Pitts
burg. due I" raralyzed conditions hcyord
there. Mails were being banded az
usual. but ar embargo had been placed
hy the railroad companies on express
matter. Passenger and freight service
arc being given the preference as before
. and heroic efforts were being made to
move food and coal trains
/ In and around this city Assistant Y,
rector Smith centred his efforts or the
problem &C keeping tie people warm
Also ho sought to provide coal for i1S
ships that are being held in port tur lack
of coal solely. Ills plans and orders had
coH'cmplatcd a definite Improvement n
congestion conditions an irnnruvcmcrt
which was schoduled 10 begin with
"'"can IN Week" ordered by tho nj.
i"ctorGeneral, and which hogan Sester.
. dTr, and with tho declaration Of an en-.
barge to go into effect to day hui
weather conditions played Lob with m.
rc,.e. schemes.