The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-22
South is Badly Hit.

through this section, coal shortage was
leading to critical suffering and fear
was felt in the south for some Of the
winter crops.
Heavy SHOWS along the eastern
seaboard today dealt staggering
blow to the national railroad.
| With the Garfield industrial sus-
pension order at an end tonight,
| trans portation throughout the coun-
| try east of the Mississippi was hope
lessly clogged with no chance to dig
| itself out in the face of further try
ing weather.
Conferences between the fuel and
railway administration officers were
held today to determine the next
step. Director General McAdoo last
night vetoed the plan to place an en-
barge on all freight shipments except
coal despite its recommendation by
the war conference board. The
Pennsylvania, however. put vlun-
tary embargo into effect with the
sanction of Director Alfred H. Smith.
of the eastern division. Other roads
are expected to do likewise today.
The time during which coal can be
held at tidewater terminals without
.denarrage charges was ordered re
duced from ten to six days under the
average agreement plan by the inter
state commerce commission. This
reduction of free time is designed to
relieve congestion ,along the seaboard
by speeding unloading and return of
coal cars to the mines. The inter
state commerce commission ruling
applies to tidewater terminals at New
York harbor, Philadelphia, Whining
ton, Del, and Baltimore.
SUSPENSION to Continue.
A general embargo is still held a
, necessity by fuel administration Of
ficials An extension of the five day
suspension order-or a new order
later this week inaugurating another
Iperiod of suspension is admittedly be-
ing considered. Drastic curtailment
of passenger traffic also is under ad-
visement.
Today a heavy blanket of snow
carpeted the east More than five
inches had fallen in this vicinity up
| to o'clock this morning and it was
still coming down. All traffic was at
q standstill Trains were blocked
all along the lines.
Extremely low temperatures
throughout New England, New York.
Pennsylvania and other eastern
states, has left piles of freight I'm
moved Trains have been frozen In,
cars derailed by snow and ice, and
switch yards are unable to work at
anything Ike full capacity.
Mercury Seeks the Cellar.
Pennsylvania suffered with tenn
peratures as low as 81 degrees below
zero. northern New York 20 below,
Ohio Is degrees below, West Virginia
| 5 degrees below, and New England 8
degrees below.
/ Rapid freight movement was i'm.
possible in the last "a hours under
these conditions.
Effects of the five day suspension
period did not begin to show until
Saturday when the drop in the tenn
perature set in and retarded all eff
forts to hustle cars through.
Some relief will be obtained by the
continuance of the priority fegula-
lations issued by Dr.. Garfield, when
he promulgated his fuel order des.
ignating that coal must firts be sup
piled to domestic consumers, public
utilities and ships before being given
to other needs.
Director Smith reported today that
all transportation had been slowed
up by severe weather.
Some hope was seen in Smiths re-
port that the movement of fuel east
ward from Chicago had improved and
that empties were being speeded
back to the mines in large numbers.
Some Better News.
NEW YORK, Jan. 22.-In spite OF
the set back due TO administrative
tangles in the movement of coal and
t. oil
parts of the eastern division indi
trains and the decrease in freight
handling because OF the Garfield or
der were laying the foundation for a
steadier and larger supply of coal to
New York and to ports and factory
towns along the Atlantic seaboard.
More coal cars than had been there
before in months were reported IN
the biturninous fields OF West Vir-
ginia and central Pennsylvania,
which have been heavy sufferers from
the car shortage. Where as these
mines had been receiving only about
so per cent OF the cars needed for
month the reports from the coal fields
to effect, indicated 10 per cent cars
needed for government orders and
preferred orders for essential indus
tries ana 90 per Cent HetUeu ZOE lue
ordinary commercial business. were
received.
100 per cent of cars required had
been received in the anthracite region,
but these fields have suffered the
least from car shortage. Promises OF
decided Improvement in the bunk
ering of ships were held out. Joseph
E. Parson OF the shipping board, said
that at the end of a week, eleven OF
the large ships in the harbor would
be receiving coal as fast as they could
use it.
Priority Orders simpiified.
WASHINGTON, Jan. % An
nouncement was made by the council
of national defense that the priorities
division of the war industries board
has begun to issue new form OF ap-
plication for priority certificates.
The change in the form grows out OF
the confusion caused by the almost