New-York tribune., 1920-02-18
Milk Shortage
ToBe' Relieved
Slightly To-day
From 60 to IS Per Gent Of
Normal Supply Expected
to Arrive This Morning
Will Help Bridge Crisis
Embargo ON Rail Freight
Traffic Tie-Up in Northern
New York Due to Storm
Is Relaxing Hourly

Because of the worst blizzard in
years in upstate New York the city
suffered serious milk shortage yes
terday that will continue day in
lessened degree. 1t was expected by
officials of the milk companies that the
supply would be back TO normal within
day or two, as reports from upstate
indicate Improvement in the situation
there.
To-day the Borden's Farm Products
Company expects to provide rs per
cent of its normal supply, while the
Sheffield Farms Company expects to
handle 6Osper cent of its trade. These
two companies supply nearly half the
milk consumed in New York City, and
it is said that the smaller companies
will be able to supply practically the
same proportion of their customers as
the big companies.
No Food Shortage Seen
All of the companies have concen-
trated their efforts during the present
shortage on serving families in which
there are small children and have dis
continued selling bottled milk to many
retail dealers. In many instances they
have cut down the can or bulk supply
Of the dealers.
No danger of food shortage was
created by the blizzard in Northern
New York, according to Edwin J. O'Mal-
ley, Commissioner of Public Markets,
because of the large quantities of food
stuffs in storage here There is suf-
ficient food in the freight terminals
to supply the city for a week, and
freight is moving from the terminals
to the dealers in ever-increasng vol
ume. The concentration Of the efforts
of the Street Cleaning Department on
the streets of the market district has
gestion and speeding up the distribu-
tion of the food supply of the city.
Elsewhere the work Of the Street
Cleaning Department made little head
way against the solid ice Of the
streets. The police were as conspic-
uous yesterday in their efforts as they
have been since they first went on the
job, but the only real relief that can
come to the city will be from a thaw
which will make the ice practicable
for rapid removal. The use of the
iieH pIcSSOtc UOSe WAS uOl taken GQ-
vantage of yesterday because of a fear
of drop in temperature.
Delays in the arrival Of milk trains
from the northern part of the state
and from Vermont were responsible
yesterday for large part of the milk
shortage. shortage Of milk cans
among upstate dairymen may further
aggravate the situation. The dairy
men have large reserves of cans at the
present time, but traffic conditions are
such that these reserves may be cX-
hausted through lack Of returns.
Embargo on Rail Freight
P. c. Reed. chief of the train serv-
ice Of the Pennsylvania Railroad an
nounced yesterday that an embargo
had been placed on incoming freight
wth the exception of milk and coal
for hospitals and public utilities. This
embargo he said, will be in effect an
til congestion in this city is relieved,
and is due to the storm conditions
around Buffalo and the congestion Of
freight here.
Railroad officials and the officials of
the milk companies looked for an
hourly Improvement in traffic condi-
tions up state.
Regular leaves of absence of city
fremen, which had been suspended
during the storm and subsequent
traffic tieup period, were resumed at 6
o'clock last evening. Each man VIII
be given an extra five da.js vacation 20
compensate him for his extra woSk