Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-01-30
NO SHIPS ARE HELD
FOR LACK OF COAL
Official Reports improved Condi-
tons at New York.
M'AD0o ORDERS AN EMBARGO
All Freight Except Food, Fuel and
War Munitions on Three Roads
Barred-Bad Weather
Delays Traffic.

New York. Jan. 24.-Only II ships
remain to be coaled of the 200 or more
IL. the New York harbOr which had
empty bunkers week ago. according
10 j. L. Parsons, director of fueling of
vessels here representing the United
States shipping board.
'Of the II ships. none of eonse-
quence is being prevented from sailing
for want of COAL" said Mr.. Parsons.
MANY of them are awaiting cargo and
therefore would not depart even
though they had been cOaled. Seven
teen ships We're bunkered. We consid-
er the coal situation satisfactory. con-
sidering the weather and other abnor-
NAL conditions"
Embargo Ordered by McAdoo.
Washington, Jan. 24.-An embargo
on all freight except food fuel and war
munitions on the Pennsylvania lines
east of Pittsburgh, the Baltimore K
Ohio east OF the Ohio river. and the
Philadelphia 4 Reading was author
lied by Director General McAdoo.
The action was taken on recommend
alton Of A. Ii. Smith. assistant direct
or general in charge of transportation
in the East. No reference Was made
to a recommendation of an embargo
submitted by Fuel Administrators Gar
field. The embargo is temporary and
is expected to last only a few days.
Bad Weather Forces Action.
80 -ff.nF
weather which has particularly affect.
ed operation of railroad crossing the
Allegheny mountains" said the rail-
road administration announcement,
director General McAdoo, upon the
recommendation of Regional Director
Smith. has authorized him to place an
embargo upon all freight, except food,
fuel and sue, war munitions and war
supplies as are specifically approved by
the war department, upon the Pennsyl-
vania liEes east of Pittsburgh. Ralti-
more & Ohio east of the Ohio river,
and the Philadelphia & Reading tor
the purpose of enabling those lines,
which are the heaviest bituminOuS coal
carriers. 10 continue specializing upon
coal for the double purpose of sup
plying the acute conditions In New
England and the harbOr of New York
aud elsewhere and in the provision Of
empty ears for mines and coke ovens.
This embargo is temporary one.
II should last but a fey days If the
weather moderates."
Local Embargoes Previously On.
The practical effect of this order will
not greatly change conditions of the
last few days, it was stated by rail
road administration officials. since
local embargOes already have been de-
clared by many eastern railroads.
These have been made on the initiative
o. individual railroads with the gen.
eral approval of Mr. Smith
In many cases also an embargo
practically was in effect because Sc
we're weather conditions prevented
railroads from supplying cars to ship
pers.
An embargo on everything but food.
fuel and munitions has been under con-
sideratlon for several days. Up to
Tuesday night. however. the director
general was not favorable to a general
embargo. believing that railroads soon
would he able to move the entire vol
ume of accumulated freight.
snowstorm Skaters Hope
This hope wns shattered by the con
tlnuation of bad weather and STOW al
most everywhere east of the MiSsissip-
pl and by the consequent breakdown
of locomotives and slower movement
of coal and food shipments.
Industries Resume Operations.
American industries Idle for the last
five days under the fuel administra-
tion'S closing order resumed opera
lions in the face of a congeSted trans
portation situation east of the Missis-
sippi threatening daily to become
worse from adverse weather condi-
lions.
At the end of the five-day restric-
ton period no official could say just
what were the effects of the industrial
shutdown except that it had got coal
to seaboard for ships. Dwellings in
many fuTlS OF tlle country SUN are
without fuel. although at the fuel nd
ministration it was said that com
plants of lack of coal for household
needs were fewer than they had been
for weeks
Railroad congestion has not been
much relieved. but it is impossible to
say whether the closing order helped
or not. Bad weather nullified much of
the good effects the general closing
might have had In clearing the rail-
roads and there is a wide difference
of opinion as 10 whether the shutdown
would have assisted materially I'm NOV
ing freight even if the weather had
been good.