The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-22
EXPLAIN WHY SHIPS
WAIT FOR CARGOES
Delays at Port, Railroad
Men Say, Due in Part to
Weather Handicap
TWENTY-ONE TRAINS
ARE RUSHING EAST
Situation Said to Be Temporary and to
Be Caused Largely by Wheat Short
age in Ports-Increase in Arrivals of
Wheat at Chicago.
Wheat at Chicago.

NEW YORK, Feb. 22-OfiicialS of
the national railroad administration
and officials in charge of allied ship |
ping here, expressed surprise at the re-
port from Washington that many ships |
were delayed at New York because |
they couldn T get eargoes, especially |
food 1t was said at the Office of A. II. |
Smith, regional director Of railroads, |
that there had been no complaints that |
tho railroads had failed in the deliv |
cry Of food to ships, and at the Office
of the traffic executive, 161 Broadway,
in charge of all allied shipping from
this port, it was said that there was
no intention of making a complaint.
Both the railroad officials and the
shipping officials said that there were
few ships delayed, but that the sit
uation was only temporary and not
serious 4 canvass OF officials connect
ed with the situation showed that the
DELAYED ships were III almost every IN
stance waiting for grain to make up
their composite food cargoes. The
shortage of wheat and flour at this
| port i due in large part to the fact
| that in January practically no wheat
| arrived from inland and the allies sup
! plies stored here were practically cx-
| hausted. Only two weeks of moderate
weather have prevailed since the gov
| eminent took over the roads, and in
! that period shipments have not arrived
in large enough quantities to fill all the
cargo space afforded by the extra large
number OF ships England has sent here
for food for herself, France and Italy
Railroad officials said that the short
age Of wheat would Toe lessened in 10
days. Al conferences of representa-
tivcs Of the allies in Europe and Unit
ed States railroad officials il was agreed
that if the carriers could Law down at
north Atlantic ports POO carloads Of
food q day by special food trains, in
addition to current hauiagc, that the
situation would be cared for. Railroad
Laers were taken over flor the, direct
loading of ships. While a number OF
special food trains have arrived here
in the last week, it was said at Mr.
Smith 5 Office that the system only
this week had got TO working smoothly
; ana that in another week food arrival:
| NtAAR " EANettAF AllNl Nttafeu Nj 'NliLi II
n issued a statement a week ago il
which he said it was calculated tina
the new food haulage system woulC
lay down supplies at the ports as fas
: rs cargo tonnage was supplied
Wednesday 30 cars of food for III,
allies, mostly wheat and -four, left st
Louia and Chicago for eastern ports OF
special trains. There were in transi
l,o9S carI Of allies food in 81 apecia
trains These trains will all arrive i
New York within five days
e Railroad officials did not eoncea
their disappointment at statements tina
g the problem of supply food for the al
l, lies had suddenly become a problem o
transportation here. 1t waa not de
p MED that there had been some delaN
.e but 1t was said that the delay at thi
IT time was lea1 than it had been previ
/ ously, and that the fact that there wa
4 an increased available supply of tor
Is mage should cause optimism.
1r It was said that it was tho custoI
TO load the ships for the allies with
At number of different kinds of foo
le wheat being used as deadweight ca
s GO, generally loaded first This pra,
10 tee would account for the DELAY c
r. some Of the ships, ono railroad offici;
er said. He asserted that there were )
e loaded lighters alongside ships while
l9 were not being unloaded. and that MOI
Il lighters were loaded ready to be towe
to shipside when ordered 1t is know
TO that railroad officials have suggested
ne the English authorities that somethir
he might be gained by hurrying up Il
'e loading Of supplies from lighters mi
o ships.
u The arrivals of wheat at Chicago tn
week have shown q large increase, an
the amount on the way to New YoI
and other Atlantic ports was great