Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-31

tremendous boost TO the business of
the port of Philadelphia Is certain to
come as "A result OF the decision of the
United states railway administration to
inaugurate a system of through fast food
ana supply trains from the Middle West
TO the Atlantic seaboard. in the opinion
of well-informed business men Of this
city.
The announcement of the Government
railroad officials means simply this:
Food and supplies originating through
out the country will be concentrated at
central shipping points, chiefly Chicago.
st. Louis and Kansas city At those
points solid trains win be made up and
sent through on fast schedule with a
clear right OF way 10 the point on the
Atlantic coast where ships are waiting
to receive the freight Ships will not be
compelled to wait In port indefinitely
while a few cars dribbfe In at time
with the stuff needed for cargo. The
cargo will be made up in the West and
sent through with lightning speed to the
ship that is ready TO receive It.
The Importance Of this action to
Philadelphia lies In the fact that this
port now has unused facilities for ship
ping far in excess of those of any other
seaport on the Atlantic. While freight
has been rushed to New York to lie
rotting on the decks. ships have been
stopped at Philadelphia and turning
back because there was not sufficient
cargo to warrant their remaining.
WILL STIMULATE PORTS TRADE
With the announcement from Wash
ington that greater use is to be made
In the future of the harbor facilities
in Philadelphia the new system of pro-
viding cargoes for waiting ships will
gASflt in innoaHiata stin g i,.,
business Of this port and a degree OF
prosperity that Philadelphia has not
known since the war began
The through fast freight plan is part
of the general scheme of the railroad
administration to concentrate all trans
pCrtation facilities toward getting food
and supplies across the ocean to the
American troops and the Allies of the
United States in the war against the
Hun. Nothing is to be allowed to stand
in the way of this object
All governmental agencies are to be
directed to this work to the exclusion
of everything else.
How well the railroads have been able
to meet the freight situation in Phila-
delphia In spite OF adverse circumstances
is shown by the report OF the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad on the number of cars of
freight now in its yards waiting to be
unioaded. in comparison with the mum
ber at the end of freight moving
week ten days age! IThis report goes
4 far to substantiate the assertion of
railroad men that there Is no unusual
congestion in the local yards.
HOW FREIGHT Is MOVING
At the end of freight -moving week
there were approximately 400 loaded
freight cars standing on the sidetracks
awaiting delivery. This In itself was
slightly below the normal amount OF
freight for the Pennsylvania in this city
This morning. after ten days had elasped
during which two of the worst snow
storms of the winter had descended
upon the city. there were only 1886
cars OH hand. or "a reduction of 314
cars In the number on hand at the end
Of freight closing week"
Yesterday, following upon the heels
OF blizzard which had tied up the rail
roads OF the country east of the Missis-
sippi river, $50 cars w"re unload O. and
delivered in Philadelphia by the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad alone, and similar ac.
tivity was noticeable on the part of the
otter railroads entering the city Rail-
road men declare that they fully pre-,
pared for any emergency, that the worst
of the season has now passed and that
there need be no fear. so far as Phil
adclphia is concerned, of any serious
jam of freight In the terminals.