New-York tribune., 1918-01-23


fuel transported from mines to con-
sumers over the shortest posi- iblo
routes. BY this means. it is planned to
save many thousand miles OF ncedlcSa
hauling, and devote locomotives and
labor thus conserved to transporting
greater quantities to regions where tho
coal shortage threatens to become more
acute if blizzard weather continues for
a few days longer.
A committee of two officials from the
railroad and fuel administrations will
work out q plan, which may be based
on a division of the East into districts,
each of which is to get it's coal mainly
from designated mining area. Howard
Elliott, of the New York, New Haven
& Hartford road, and a. G. Guthcim.
an official of the Interstate Com
merce Commissions Car Service Bu-
reau. will represent the railroad ad-
ministration on this committee.
Weather Even Worse
The necessity for some new method
of dealing with the coal transportation
problem was emphasized to-day by
scores of reports that weather condi-
tions were as bad as or worse than at
any time since the unprecedented pc
riod of cold and stormy weather started
nearly two weeks ago. Heavy snow
throughout New York and New Eng
land. in Pennsylvania, West Virginia
and elsewhere made traffic movement
extremely slow and cut the supply of
empty cars to coal mines far below
even the sub normal supply Of the last
few days.
The bright phase of the situation
was report of Fuel Administrator
Garfield that ships were being bunk
cred more rapidly than last week and
that coal was going in sufficient guam
titles to domestic consumers. These
were the main purposes of the indus
trial curtailment> order of five days
ago, DR.. Garfield said. and consequent
ly the result of the industrial suspen-
sion was satisfactory.
In the memorandum sent to Director
General McAdoo suggesting the en-
barge, DR.. Garfield referred to the one
day embargo on all freight except food
and fuel declared yesterday by the
Pennsylvania lines east of Pittsburgh,
and suggested that similar action
should be taken for several days, par
ticula-y on the Pennsylvania, the Bal
timore & Ohio and the Philadelphia &
Reading, the worst congested trunk
lines leading to the seaboard. War
munitions and supplies, he said. might
be exempted.
Urges Immediate Embargo
ally effective if it could follow imme-
diately the five days covered by the
January II ORDER" said the memoran-
dunn. This would make an embargo ef
fectlve tomorrow
During the last two months of 1917,
the Administrator declared, increasing
ly acute car shortage on the Pennsyl-
vanla and the Baltimore & Ohio neu-
tralized every effort for increased pro-
duction at the mines. Empty cars were
not at the mines. and congestion was
so great that loaded cars did not reach
their consignees.
while the railroads were operated
separately, although in cooperative
plan" he added "they seemed to have
found it impossible to remedy the sit
uation and since Director General Of
Railroads has been appointed we have
had nothing but nprecedentedly Sc
we're weather, almost nullifyinr his eff
forts"
During the five weeks ended January
5, it was explained, coal production
lost because of car shortage amounted
to l9 per cent, 80 per cent, "a per cent,
"a per cent, 9 and 8 per cent, respect
lvely. Conditions were worst on the
Baltimore Il Ohio and the Pennsyl-
vania.
Empty Cars Moving
ported better movement of empty cars
to mines of Pennsylvania, West Tir-
ginia and other fields, although the
railroad administration reports were
less hopeful.
IN statement summarizing the re-
suits of his fuel curtei ilment order,
DR.. Garfield said:
"Our reports show that the prime
purpose sought to be accomplished by !,
the regulation, the bunkering of ships
and the supplying of domestic con-
sumers and public utilities with coal,
have been greatly served.
Local officials of the fuel admins.
tration in all parts of the East re-
ported that domestic consumers, public
utilities and other consumers on the
preferred list in the industrial cur
tallment order were being given the
fully benefit of the coal moving into the
consuming territory.
CAS- result of the patriotic CO.
operation of American industry, capital
and labor, the way has been cleared
for the prompt bunkering of ships
which long were tied up at Atlantic
ports waiting to carry vitality needed
supplies to the American forces abroad
and TO the nations associated with the
United States in the war"
1t was evident that the fuel admin
istration was disappointed in that
the closing order did not relieve
railroad congestion as much as
Hoped for Weather conditions we're
blamed for this, but it was clear
also that the fuel administration Of
fcials felt that a general embargo
ginst the receipt of faight during the
t've-day closing period would have
helped materially in this respect
a. II. Smith. Assistant Director Gen
eral. reported tonight that in the
ittaburgh coal territory the car sup
ply was only 10 per cent of normal.
Ohio got practically full suppy, but
Indiana was short. West Virginia and
Virginia obtained fewer cmptes than
yesterday.
Reporting on bunkering of ships in
New York Harbor, Mr. Smith reported
to-day that twenty four received coal
Yesterday and that eighty-one were
awaiting coal this morning
IF we can keep up the pace for few
Gays longer" he said, Eve will have the
situation we'll in hand"