Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-02-20
RAILROADS CLEAR
IN FEW WEEKS
Middle of March to See Traffic
Back to Normal
BAD WEATHER ONLY FEAR
Most Congested Lines In the East
Gradual Lifting of EN-
barge.

Gradual clearing up of congestion
reports yesterday to Director General
McAdoo
Officials declared if the same rate of
progress is made in the next two or
three weeks as was recorded last
week traffic conditions will be re-
stored to normal before the middle of
March They emphasized the possi-
bility OF another period OF bad weather
before them, however, and qualified
their predictions accordingly.
Loaded cars have been moved east
ward and empties westward in great
quantities during the past week Last
Saturday the number of eastbound
loads held by the Eastern railways
was 44,642 above an estimated normal
quantity, or 10000 less than six days
previous. Westbound empties mum
bered 22,95S above normal, decrease
of 1850 under the figure of six days
before. Loaded cars held for west
bound movement were 32,453 above
normal, or 1916 less than six days be-
fore, and eastbound empties were only
5,344 above normal, or 1904 less than
the number at the beginning of the
week.
These figures, showing the I'M
provement which good weather has
wrought in the railroad situation,
disorganied by two months of bliZ-
yards, were cited by officials as an
indication that embargoes now inn
posed on three Eastern trunk lines
and locally on many other railroads
east of the Mississippi River might
be lifted gradually. This action was
not to be expected for another week.
however, they said
Apparently the most congested
roads were the Baltimore and Ohio,
which held SIP more eastbound
loaded cars than normal; the Penn
sylvania, whose supernormal record
was S,641 westbound empties, 7,13S
westbound loads and 5,614 eastbound
loads, and the Erie, which had 1865
more eastbound loads than normal.
The Pennsylvania in the week. cut its
supernormal number of westbound
empties almost in half, but the con-
cars increased somewhat.
To insure prompt movement of food
stuffs to the Allies II solid trains of
grain and meats were started east
ward from Chicago and other mid
western terminals and about II others
were assembled for movement today.
The hauling of cotton to Gulf and
South Atlantic ports for transship-
ment by water to New England mills
engaged in government contract work
has been so rapid in the last two
weeks that the Railroad Administra-
ton announced it would undertake to
increase the quantity to be received
Immediately from 100000 to 125,000
bales.
Boards of trade and chambers OF
commerce of many Southern cities and
towns were notified by c. H. Markham,
regional director for the South, to as
sign a certain portion of their local
stocks of cotton for shipment under
the plans for moving $4,000 additional
bales at this time. Eventually the
Railroad Administration expects to
carry the entire stock of Southern cot
ton destined for New England mills by
water route from Gulg and South At
/ lantic ports, and additional steamers
will be assigned to this service.
w B. Peasants, newly appointed
manager of the marine transportation
division of the Railroad Administra-
ton, will supervise this water move
ment.