New-York tribune., 1918-01-18
Five-Day Suspension
Gives Railroads
Chance to Dig Out

A. II. Smith, Assistant Director of
Railroads, was so satisfied with the
Garfield shutdown order that he broke
into paraphrasic doggerel of "The
House That Jack Built" in a statement
to newspaper men yesterday, the same
being the concluding paragraphs:
This is the. coal mat fueed the ship
that took the freight that cleared the space
that released the freight from the car in
.he yard that blocked the road.
The big idea of the shutdown, as
seen by railway men, is that it will
afford an opportunity to catch up all
along the line-from freight conges-
tions in remote yards TO coaling ships
with foodstufs for the Allies and get
ting them out of The way, so that the
normal orderly movement of freight to
Europe may once more be resumed with
some reference to the clock and the cal
endar
Mr.. Smith sad
The railroads are not included in
the partial-suspension order. Under
present conditions their duty is to keep
Lard at it days, nights, Sundays and
holidays.
"Nor does the partial suspension for
i've days, according to my understands
ing, apply to coal mines. Just so much
less coal as is consumed during the five
days, just so much will be gained tow
ard putting something in reserve to
avoid living from nd-to-mouth. II
will tend, also, to relieve the pressure
On transportation, and, SO far as condi-
tons will permit, it viii ease the con-
EeStOn and give more room to work
II wish the public could appreciate
what the effects of the weather condj-
tions have been and are. In fifty wears
taking the testimony of the oldest rail
road men, nothing approaching it has
heen experienced. Man and metal have
been taxed to the limit of their endur-
ance, and beyond
Tracks have been covered with snow
TO the depth of many feet, resisting the
oforts of the largest engines and snow
ploughs to clear the way The cars in
Yards are buried in snow so deem that
they have to be shovelled out before
they can be moved. Certain parts Of
the country have been without trans
portatIon for days, and there are re-
CURED special and energetic movements
as lines are opened up to get fuel into
certain districts to keep people from
freezing.
AS | understand the intention. the
ilve-day partial suspension period is
aimed to relieve these emergencies and
70 give the railroads chance to die
out and get cars moved that are stand.
ing in the way of other movements
PARTICULARLY III New York Harbor. il
\ the ice trouble lessons the movement
U Will be increased materially between
cars and consumers
"ot prime Importance, which must
he obvious to all who will consider the
question, Is the bunkering or placing
~ 1uel upon the many steamships
which have been sent to New York Har.
hor Tor food and other essential ma
terals. When fuelled, they will take
cargo, which l. turn releases freight
occupying space required to take ir
other freight which is held back il
cars. on piers. in yards ana on side
tracks, congesting operation
ut is the story of THE House Tha
lack Built reversed: This is the coal
hat fuelled The ship, that took tn,
freight, that cleared the space, that re
leased the freight from the car in tn.
Yard, that blocked the road"