The sun., 1919-07-05
VACATIONS SPOILED
BY BAGGAGE DELAYS
Thousands Of Complaints Come
From Country and Sea-
shore Resorts.
TROOPS TAX RAILROADS
Unusually Heavy Travel Also
Aggravates Conditions
No Relief in Sight.

Thousands OF complaints Of delay TO
baggage destined to summer resorts all
over the country are reaching this city.
In many cases tourists have reached
their destination only to wait four or
five days for their trunks. and the non
arrival OF baggage for twenty-four or
forty-eight hours seems to be q common
experience.
Railroad ofIicials who were asked
about the situation admit there is some
delay In tho movement OF passengers
baggage, but they deny the condition
u a. widespread as many OF the
travelling public maintain. A conbina-
ton OF circumstances Is responsible for
such delays as have admittedly occurred.
railroad men say. t..-
The chief cause is the unprecedentedty
heavy travel in the hast ten days, when
the movement of passengers reached a
point never before touched in this coun-
try. Not only Is there an enormous
movement from New York to the sum
mer resorts on the Jersey coast and
in New England, but travel to the South
and West has been exceptionally heavy
the last two weeks.
A. large percentage of those who have
crowded the trains lately are taking
their first real vacation in two years and
most Of them are providing themselves
with baggage for an extended visit, I'M
mindful of the fact that railroad &C
commodations are still on q war basis,
Public Warned of Car Shortage.
With the realisation that troop move
ments in June and July would reach
their maximum the Railroad Admins
tration some time ago issued notices
calling public attention to the fact and
giving warning that the resulting short
age of cars would seriously interfere
with the enjoyment of vacation trips
until the bulk OF the overseas troops
had been moved.
The result OF public disregard OF pres
ent conditions, railroad men say. has
been a decided shortage Of all types
of passenger and baggage oars and
consequent overcrowding and delay.
Some effort has been made to equip steel
freight cars for use as baggage and
express cars, and on the Pennsylvania
Railroad even sSesl eahooses have been
pressed into service, but there still Is a
decided shortage.
In New York city conditions are ag-
gravated by the strike OF drivers on the
local express and transfer companies two
weeks ago. which resulted in an enor-
nous amounts Of baggage being piled up
at the local terminals. At the Pennsyl-
vania Station the accumulation has been
handled, but at the Grand Central Ter
minal, where the drivers OF the Westcott
Express Company still are on strike,
baggage destined TO the city and through
baggage as well is delayed.
Use Roundabout Routes.
Much of the baggage destined for
suburban towns in New Jersey which
would ordinarily be transferred through
New York is being sent by roundabout
routes. For instance, trunks checked to
suburban stations on the Lackawanna
from New England points are being sent
to Utica, thence over the Lackawanna
to their destination. This. OF course,
causes great delay and with the present
shortage OF cars further congests avail
able facilities.
No one who was asked about the mat
ter would hazard any guess as TO when
improvement might be expected. Rail-
road men declared they would do all they
could to handle the flood of baggage, but
they pointed out that the railroads are
still operating under the same conditions
which they faced during the war and
that It Is unlikely conditions will i'm
prove at least until rehabilitation OF
the army Is nearly completed. Some re-
lief may the expected after the Fourth
OF July crowds return home, but with
the vacation season only Just started
there seems to be little hope for i'm
mediate improvement.