The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-23
ASKS EMBARGOES
ON Three ROADS
Fuel Chief Would Give Food, Coal
and Munitions Right
of Way.
CONGESTION MUST end SOON
Pennsylvania Lines in the East, Balti-
more G. Ohio and Reading Desig-
nated-HoIidays Ordered for
Cities in Iowa.

Washington, Jan. 23-A general en-
DargO upon three railroads against
shipments of all freight except food
and fuel and certain war munitions
and supplies was requested by Fuel
Administrator Harry A Garfield.
The request was contained in
memorandum sent by him to Director
General of Railroads McAdoo. An
embargo was put on the Norfolk &
Western.
Mr.. Garfield would have the embar-
go apply to the Pennsylvania lines
east of Pittsburgh, the Baltimore &
Ohio and the Philadelphia & Reading
GarfieId's Memorandum.
In his memorandum Mr.. Garfield
said:
1.-THE press reports show that the
Pennsylvania railroad, with the ap-
proval of A. 81. Smith, placed an en-
barge on Monday upon all freight ex-
cept food and fuel 1t will be observed
that these exceptions are practically
the same as the exceptions made in
the order with respect to the use of
fuel.
1.-The action authorized by this one
day embargo should be taken for sew
eral days, adding to the exceptions
certain war munitions land supplies
not only upon the Pennsylvania lines
east of Pittsburgh but also upon the
baltimore & Ohio lines and the Phila-
delphia & Reading lines, which form,
with certain Baltimore & Ohio lines,
a through route to the seaboard. Such
an embargo would be especially effec-
tive If it could follow Immediately the
five days covered by the January II
order.
Car Shortage Was Acute.
During the last two months Of 1917
the car shortage on the lines men
toned was increasingly acute.
"It neutralized every effort for in
creased production at the mines. La
Dor differences were adjusted and
prices resulting therefrom were fixed
Without cars, however, coal could not
be produced. The empty cars were
not at the mines. The congestion OF
the tracks was such that the loaded
cars did not reach their cOnSigneeS.
while the railroads were operated
separately, although in a cooperative
plan, they seemed to have found it Inn
possible to remedy this situation, and
since a director general of railroads
has been appointed we have had moth
ing but unprecedentedly severe
off re-
Must Be "Entire Cessation"
'To relieve present congestions and
to speed up the movement Of coal
and coke cars to and from the mines
and ovens, it seems apparent that
there must, for a few days, be an al
most entire cessation, particularly or
the roads mentioned, of all freight
with the exception above noted.
Mr.. Garfield cites figures showing
loss in coal production due to cal
shortages, especially on the Pennsyl
vania and Baltimore & Ohio railroads
The fuel administration issued a
summary of the result of the five days
j which the factories of the eastern
half of the country have been shut
down.
Order Serves Its Purpose.
The summary follows:
"Our reports show that the prime
purpose sought to be accomplished by
the regulation-the bunkering of ships
and the supplying of domestic consum
ers and public utilities with cOal-has
been greatly served.
Local officials of the fuel admins
tration in all parts of the East report
ed that domestic consumers, public
utilities and other consumers on tht
preferred list in the industrial curtail
ment order were being given the full
benefit of the coal moving into th'
consuming territory.
"As result of the patriotic coop
Grafton Of American industry, cap
ital and labor the way has been cleared
for the prompt bunkering of ship!
which long were tied up at Atlantic
ports waiting to carry vitally needed
supplies TO the American forces abroad
and to the nations associated with tn,
United States in the war"
The necessity for some new meth
cd of dealing with the coal transporta
ton problem was emphasized by score
Of reports that weather condition
were as bad or worse than at an,
time since the unprecedented perio,
of coal and stormy weather starte,
nearly two weeks ago. Heavy snoy
throughout New York and New Enc
sand, in Pennsylvania, West Virgins
and elsewhere made traffic movemen
extremely slow and cut the supply O
empty cars to coal mines far beloy
even the subnOrmal supply of the las