The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-02-03
FREIGHT CRISIS
ALL OVER. EAST
AT ACUTE STAGE
Demoralized Conditions of
Railroads Menace to
Industries.
WEATHER IS BLAMED
Little Coal Moving. and Many
"War Plants" May Have
to Shut Down.
Seec.ol Epscosch 20 Tas srx


WAsHiNoro%. Feb a.-The United
States to-n!sh. faces tie worst trans
portation crisis in tie history Of the
country. Reports from every section
east OF the Mississippi River continued
TO Pile Up a! day IN cfficcs ~ Govern
ment transportation experts until Of
fcials who have sough: 10 present op-
'im:st!c predictions frankly stated that
widespread disorgan.xation OF industry
soon would be forced upon great
part Of the country unless weather
conditions showed marked improve
ment. But even while hoping for
warmer weather. the transportation
men. with every added day OF cold
weather. are becoming more ard more
fearful let a Dreah IN weather VII
bring foods that Wi, double the dam
age Already done
Throughout the Eastern section o.:
the country low temperature. drifting
snow and failing motive power COM
bined 70 prevent freight movement.
Early reports indicated that final re-
tuT.Is ~ou.u SNOW lildI less WAS tt-
complshcd by the railroads during the
day than on any day since winter Sc:
In. The only statements Of cheerful
nature told OF the forced movement
by special trains u. meat and feeds to-
ward the East.
EApress Com pn ME. >w Mml,~d.
Express companies reported that .he,.
,.tx
manufacturers who are ;rying IN van.
10 have goods moved by express Some
NJ these goods are needed by plants er-
gagged In assembling wa making ma-
chinery and which cay they VIII have 20
close their factories In "A few days uNlsss
the supply OF needed parts is co.i;inueG
a summary oe ihe reports sen: "a
D.rec.or-Gererai VI Adoo TO-DAY b.;
regional railroad directors showed.
A. II. Smith. Eastern district: New
York State weather conditions ,e-y
severe. Freight trains stopping for Goa
aHd water rs;e frozen TO the tracks and
four or 0ys tiis'res were needed TO e.
r,enl started. Tive cold was SO Intense
that much eQu,pncu: broke down
ces&ikk II gldesrr.ai trouble ana tdtsa, u
Ch.c Agv, Terre Ha-f aud ScuihWes. z Il,
Railroad again beeai ope! a'o,. l,u' had
dii;icri'y in keeping d,!ttins SNOW '~on'
O!oc"!'g the tracIs.
Operation ~ sof: ,vll ftii. vs.; Dbl.
.fobastowu. uu tie reEnsylV.niu RAJ,
road. halted when - coal coilvaS ~. r...
lapsed b.ocl;ing four t.a"ks ard pu,;.u ;.
out OF commission n! autorlu'ir signals
Few empty cars sent 20 mines q. IVES,
Virginia on accoun. ~ Liga water
which washed ou' aevsra. Chesapeake
and OHIO railroad bridges. Great re.
duc;lons in tonnage Throughout: III. mid.
die West due I, low tempera:uiee
Less Goal Z. Moving.
A. W Thorn 2son. Baltimore: Nl'nius
regions ali reported lower temperatures
number OF loads o. coal moved yester.
day showed = decrease OF LOO ovc.
previous day; only llN cars CT coal WEI,
dumped at t.dewater a. Baltimore Yes
terday, with ,c2 on hand AID LIS i,
transit On account OF shortage In boat,
only six cars were dumped yesterday al
Curtis Bay. Freight continued to ac
cumulate and forces working in the ra il
road repair shops were still below urgen
needs
T. ". Ashton. Western district: Fou,
trains OF abou: fifty cars each. two from
Cedar Rapids. la. ard two from Mil,
waukse. loaded 20 capacity with ANNA
and poultry feed. were despatched 10,
New Eng'snd points tC relieve the criti
al situation caused by ;lc lock or fee,
shipments .uliowing thv embargo ord.-
OF January 80. II - hoped hat ,h,
West will receive 1000 empty b1xrar
and refrigerator cars daily AS thc rcsul
Of McAdoo's order that all Eastern line.
should send cmpties West for loadn,
with foodstuffs needed in East
The Allegheny mining region mad,
little progress in its h@ht against tn,
elements. 4 picture OF typical condi
tions was contained IN report to III.
Fuel administration from the district a
Fair Mont. w. Va, where out OF ie,
Mines. which still maintained telephou
Connections and could make reports, on,,
nf,y had received empty cars. In III,
seVenty-ons ether mines II 20, miner
were idle and the coal production los
was $3.50 tons
The amount OF coal placed in barge
az Baltimore. Hampton Roads an,
Philadelphia for shipment Ia New Eng
land vas small j..t,lc progress wal
made In this direction at New Yorl;
The continued less IN coal nrodu 't,!ou i
fas. assuming menacng proportions
and within a week or two at the mos
the coal shortage in the las, Will b
far more acute than ever before
The chief hope II close observers II
Washington Ia that warm weather vii
mitigate tine suffering VI the workmel
IN their homes, but the belief Is ger
eral ths. urany pee pie vii! he throUi
out Of work through failure OF Goa! {
Il l., ,,,s,