Evening star., 1918-01-31
EAST AGAINFACES
AFAM|NE IN COAL
Further Hampering Of Railroad
Transportation by Snow
{: and Ice the Cause.
INDUSTRIES MAY CLOSE

Large sections of the east face coal
famine within the next few days as
result of further hampering of railroad
transportation by snow and ice storms.
Reports reaching the railroad and fuel
administrations last night showed New
:. England, parts of Pennsylvania and
5, districts along the Atlantic seaboard In
worse condition, and there were fndica-
ttons that many industries will be
forced to stop operations for few
days for lack of fuel.
: ALREADY the railroad administration
has done all possible to meet the emer-
gency, it was said, and developments
. must depend almost entirely on wealth
: er conditions. Forecasts of these gave
no basis of hope, for snow is prom
ised for most of the country east of the
Mississippi today.
General Shutdown Planned.
No new orders for a general indus
trial shutdown are planned by the fuel
administration, but the preferential
treatment of coal shipments for do
. :mestic consumption, for ships and es-
: sential industries will continue. An
extension of the freight embargo
: might be considered by the railroad
move coal, it was explained. except for
. the fact that very little general freight
is now being accepted for eastward
, movement by any lines.
Reports to Director General McAdoo
indicated that the westbouRd move
ment Of freight yesterday was nearly
. 10 per cent under that of the day be-
!. fore. Most of this was coal The re-
turn movement of empty coal cars to
: mining districts was slightly better,
in, Nire nj
Virginia, where floods still restricted
. transportation seriously. Floods in the
balance of the country, which had been
. feared. were postponed by continuing
cold weather.
. The plight of New England was dis
. cussed with Mr.. McAdoo by Fuel Ad-
ministrator Garfield and J. ]. Storrow,
fuel administrator for that section. Mr..
McAdoo promised to rush the rail move
ment of coal to the northeast, and said
he believed the supply would be sufh-
cient to prevent a general suspension
OF industries.
). Normal Supply Reduced.
J. Mr.. Storrow was not so hopeful. He
explained that the interference with
the hauling Of coal from Hampton
roads by vessel. because of the prefer
: ence given government ships held there
for coaling, had cut New England's nor
NAL supply from that source to almost
nolnlnS IN the last lew days. arrange
. ments have been made to start the
movement again.
- More moderate weather at Hampton
roads the last few days has helped thaw
. coal formerly frozen in cars, and as
|. sisted the dumping and coaling of YES
sells.
;. Weather conditions and railroad con-
!. -gestion have interfered seriously with
shipbuilding activities. according to re-
. ports today to the shipping board. Deep
snow has made it impossible for men to
. keep at work. In addition, the freight
congestion has curtailed the supply of
. materials to great extent and some
: ship yards are entirely without ma
terials.
:. The new zone system of distributing
coal will be put into effect next week,
but officials do not believe that it will
: -enect much saving or hauling at first.