New-York tribune., 1920-05-20
Long Strings of Empty
Box Cars Are Started
West as Transportation
Act Again Is Enforced
Penna. Puts Ban
On Food and Fuel
48-Hour Embargo May Be
Applied on Other Lines:
More Factories Closing

The partial employment Of the
emergency powers granted the Federal
authorities under the transportation
act to relieve the freight jam in the
vicinity of New York began to be felt
hero yesterday
BY direction of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, thousands of box
cars that had been lying idle in the
terminal yards in New Jersey for weeks
were hurriedly made into long trains
and sent rolling westward Very little
freight was loaded or unloaded.
In order to permit an unhampered
movement Of the empties and to get
breathing space to clear UP the situa-
tion, the Pennsylvania Railroad ordered
drastic embargo at 10 a. m. yesterday
on all shipments, including food and
coal, to continue for forty eight hours.
Similar steps, it was intimatcd. had
been taken or would be taken by other
lines.
Food and Fuel Scarce
Officials of the roads said the emer-
gency measures probably would not
result in any curtaiment of passenger
service and that the priority regula-
tions now observed to limited degree
would not be unduly extended unless
SO ordered by the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
A smaller number Of the empty
freight trains were moved, it was said,
than would have been possible under
ordinary circumstances, the managers
declaring themselves handicapped
chiefly by lack of man power. A large
proportion of the marine and insur-
gent rail strikers, they pointed out, had
failed to return, and despite every
pressure brought to bear to obtain new
employees few could be found.
A decided depletion of food stocks
and an increasing scarcity of coal
loomed last night as the most serious
developments in the local situation.
In addition, more factories are re-
ported on their last supplies of fuel
and raw materials, indicating that
thousands of workers may be out Of
work.
The decrease in the quantity of food
stuffs brought in by the stagnant traf
tic facilities was revealed by the State
Division Of Foods and Markets. 1t re-
frozen beef less in the storage houses
here now than there was a year ago at
this time. On May /, it was stated,
there were 100000 pounds less than
on that date last year. with the deple
tion nrocess proceeding and no relief
in sight.
Proportionately large decreases also
have been noted in butter, eggs, frozen
pork, frozen lamb, mutton and poultry.
The transportation difficulties, say the
food men, have prevented the normal
movement of eggs from the Western
states, with resultant shortage and
There are 10000 cases of eggs less in
storage now than year ago.
Higher Prices Foreseen
Indications that prices Of foodstufs
will go up are seen in the plight of
manufacturers of tin cans used for
fruits and vegetables. Manufacturers
quantities of tin bars for their indus
try, and the lack of this raw material
is reducing their output and will cur
tail the amount of canned foodstuffs.
One tinpate firm, in an effort to get
some of its product, hired its own
lighters, did its own trucking and OBJ
tanned its own stevedores and porters
to load and unload the material from
steamships. The cost of transferring
the stuff from the vessels to the cars,
they said, equaled the total amount of
the railroad freight charges.
The National Lead Company reports
that it has received many kilograms
from its factories which indicate that
shutdown Of many of them is i'm
minent unless supply of tin is re-
ceived without delay. The company
reports that a shipment of 500 slabs
of tin has been lying on one of the
local piers since March a because Of
the inability of the railroads to
move it.
Many firms, finding they can't get
their product OH cars, are storing it
in warehouses. with the result that
the storage houses are reporting their
places choked to the roof The losses
entailed in this action by the manu-
facturers because of the storage charges
Continued page three)