Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-07
STRIKE KEEPS CARS
FROM LOCAL YARDS
Avoidance of Potomac
Tracks NecesSitateS Re-
routing of Freight.
PASSENGER TRAFFIC o. K.

Rerouting of northbound freight
from the south, made necessary by
reason of conditions in the Potomac
yards south of the city, has diverted
thousands of cars of raw and manu-
featured goods from the local yards,
according to a statement from ter
minal company official today. Ha-
gerstown, Md, now is the gateway
through which most of this freight
reaches its destination, the cars
being diverted at Roanoke and going
by way of the Norfolk and Western
railroad.
Only perishable stuff and live stock
now are being handled through the To-
cal yards, the official stated. The
number of cars of these classes of
freight passing through the Potomac
yards yesterday, the bthcial said, was
only about 1,70O, which n far below
the average daily number under nor
NAL conditions:
Other Yards Affected.
Recruiting Of most of the freight,
SO as to eliminate the Potomac yards,
it was stated. also has had strong
effect on the yards in the northeast.
southeast and southwest sections Of
the city and in the lexington and
Ivy City yards, very little freight now
passing through these yards which
normally are gateways northward and
southwark from and to. the Potomac
yards.
According to official statements to-
day, only six shifting engines were
needed to handle freight traffic yes
To-, "o0 hi nty,a
yards in this city. the usual number
required being from twelve to If
teen. Many engines and other rolling
stock are sidetracked and idle here.
this. according to officials of the
company, being the cause of the re-
port that the management Of the
Washington Terminal yards Is scrap
ping disabled engines and cars which
it Is not possible to keep in repair
and operation.
Passenger Traffic Unaffected.
Passenger traffic into and out of
the city is being moved on schedule
time, according to a statement today
by J. B. Warrington, general manager
Of the terminal company, who said
but few delays had occurred in han
ding incoming and outgoing trains.
Mr.. Warrington said there was no
men would tie up or even seriously
interfere with movement of trains at
the Union station. He said the corps
Of men now looking after repair
work at the shops Is composed of
trainmasters. road foremen of en-
superintendents, foremen of machine
shops and other minor officials of all
the lines entering Washington, and
that the work of these men, all Of
whom are thoroughly competent, is
resulting in the handling of all repair
work necessary to keep trains moving
on time.
Denies "No Inspection" Reports.
serted emphatically that stories to
the effect that engines and other
rolling stock are being sent out from
the terminal without inspection or
necessary repairs is untrue. He said
the inspection Is as rigid now as
ever, or even more so, and that all
repairs necessary to assure the safe
operation of trains are made to all
equipment leaving the Union station
or yards.
Contradicts Officials.
Charles Frazier. business agent of
the striking machinists. members of
the International Association of Ma
ctinists, makes denial Of the state
ment credited to the terminal officials
that a number of the men who are
members of the machinists' union re-
manned on their jobs and did not go
out on strike. Mr.. Frazier says that
every union machinist employed at
the terminal company's shops quit and
that none of them has returned to
work. Mr.. Frazier is authority for
the statement that no repair work ia
being done to engines or rolling stock
in the terminal yards or shops and
that engines are being sent out with
trains in crippled condition without
the needed repairs being made on
them.
The strike committee of the four
crafts out on strike, of which J.. j.
Desmond is publicity agent, says that
they will win their fight within the
next few days, for the reason, If no
other, that the rapid accumulation of
disabled engines which the terminal
officials are unable to repair and re-
turn to service will soon deplete the
roads of the engines necessary to han
die the traffic. ''''.''','. So ''.'''- |
No Clashes Between Men.
While the strikers are maintaining
d number of pickets on the outskirts
of the terminal properties. there has
been no clash or<rouble of any kind
between the strikers and the men in