The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-23
Three of Biggest Eastern
Lines Issue Order at Nc
Adoo's Direction
NECESSARY BY
RECENT SNOW STORM
Will Be in Effect but a Few
Days If The Wealth
er MOderates
CBv Assocfated Press !

Washington, Jan. 2S.-An embargo
on all freight except food, fuel and
war munitions, on the Pennsylvania
! lines east of Pittsburgh, Baltimore
| and Ohio east of the Ohio river, and
the Philadelphia and Reading was
authorized today by Director Gen
| eral McAdoo.
The action was taken on recon-
mendation of A. II. Smith, assistant
director general, in charge of trans
/ portation in the east. No reference
for an embargo submitted last night
by Fuel Administrator Garfield. The
embargo is temporary and is ex-
pected to last only few days.
"On account Of the extremely
severe weather which has particu-
larly affected operation OF railroads
crossing the Allegheny mountains -
said the railroad administration an
nouncement, Director General Nc
Adoo. upon the Recommendation of
Regional Director Smith, has au-
thorized him to place an embargo
upon all freight except food, fuel
and such war munitions and war
supplies as are specifically approved
by the war department, upon the
Pennsylvania lines east of Pitts
burgh, Baltimore and Ohio east of
the Ohio river, and the Philadelphia
and Reading for the purpose OF en-
a.bling those lines, which are the
heaviest butiminous coal carriers, to
continue specializing upon coal for
the double purpose of supplying the
acute needs in New England and
the harbor of New York and else
where and in the provision of empty
cars for mines and coke ovens.
This embargo is a temporary
one. 1t should last but a few days II
the weather moderates.''
The practical effect of this order
will not greatly change conditions
of the last few days, it was stated
by railroad administration officials,
since local embargoes already have
been declared by many eastern rail-
roads. These have been made on
the initiative of individual railroads
with the general approval of Mr..
Smith. -. ..
In many cases also an embargo
practically was i'm effect because
severe weather conditions prevented
railroads from supplying cars to
shippers.
An embargo on everything but
food, fuel and munitions has been
under consideration for several days.
Up to last night, however, the direc-
tor general was not favorable to a
general embargo, believing that rail-
roads soon would be able to move
the entire volume Of accumulated
freight. This hope was shattered
last night by the continuation of
bad weather and snow almost every
where east of the Mississippi and
by the consequent breakdown of To-
comotives and slower movement of
coal and food shipments.
A threatened serious coal shortage
i'm New York also is said to have
hastened the decision.
Indications today were that hard
would continue through
most of the week and railroad ad- /
officials intimated that
they looked for little improvement in
the transportation situation before
Saturday.
Early reports showed that with |
out the embargo order a deluge of
traffic might have been expected by
tomorrow as a result Of the reopen
ing of manufacturing plants after
the five-day suspension period. Many
II was expected, would
continue to operate on partial time
as a result of the embargo order to- /
day. This will tend to save coal fur
ther for domestic use and bunkerIns
ships.