New-York tribune., 1920-05-19
Upstate Public Service
Board Asks I. C.. G.. to
Ban All Non-Essentials
in Freight Tie-Up Crisis
Factories Running
o
On Reduced Time
Box Car Shortage and
Strikes Blamed by N. Y.
Officials for Situation

railroad ofhclals here expect strict
priority regulations to be ordered bv
the Interstate Commerce Commission
to-day in an effort to relieve the nm
precedented freight congestion at this
port and other gateways in the East
they would not be surprised, say the
railroad managers, if the hard and
last rules laid down during the war
were revived and enforced to clear up
the chaotic traffic conditions that have
been gradually throttlng the indus
tries Of the nation
The upstate Public Service Com
mission has sent kilograms to the
interstate Commerce Commission urg-
ing that preference be given to ne
cessltles and that the embargoes on
iuXuries and non n-essentials be retained.
The commission announced that an in
adequate supply of box cars, labor
troubles at New York and Buffalo, and
tangles or New England roads were
chiefly responsible for the trouble in
this state.
AoVtl lpuS (ONljidnltS Received
Serious complaints have been re-
ceved of the failure to move acricul
tural commodities" saiys Chairman
Charles B. Hill. "Practically all such
Complaints originate outside the state
ana at points where labor troubles eX-
ISL me serious congestion in the ex-
press business is due, understand to
the accumulated volume that has been
growing steadily since the difficulties
first arose.
L ne commission suggested that some
rellef may be had by operating solid
express trains on principal roads doing
loca! Worh, thereby relieving passenper
trans and eliminating an unusual
am OF detontions. Existing en-
bargoes have relieved the situation tenn
porarly. The commission also urges
Uhat the construction of new euuip-
ment should be facilitated TO the ut
most"
Evidence that the steamship COM
panes were diverting their vessels to
other ports, and were, thereby. taking
"lth them a large portion of this city's
export trade. has aroused the business
interests of New York Alfred Z. Mar
Ing, president of the New York State
Chamber of Commerce, and head of the
organizations banded together to solve
the local transportation problems.
was particularly chagrined at the
latest deYeIopments in the situation
ana sand that the business interests of
the city viii have to put their shoulder
to the wheel to keep going.
w nat we must do he said, "is to
work and see that New York ai7tains
It's supremacy as the foremost shin.
ping port in the United States. It
VIII indeed be a catastrophe if this
city loses fair share of the export
trade, and the commercial interests
should make every effort to keep in
tact the ports business. II is fair to
assume, at least as far as the coastwjse
trade is concerned. that labor troubles
are IN the main responsible for these
conditions, and every merchant ought
to help to bring about a solution of
our problems. The Citizens Transpor-
tation committee, representing practi-
ca ~ all the commercial bodies in New
ORR VIII certainly do everything it
can TO remedy the situation"
Great Ship Diversion
Additional facts in connection with
the reported diversion of shipments TO
GJher, ports We're furnished by E. J..
DoAohue, OF the marine department of
tue customs service. Mr. Donohue said
mat more than 1000 consignments.
about 20 per cent of the daily business
OF the port, were being diverted
from New York to other harbors Tor
Shipments The greatest falling off has
been IN coastwise trade, he SAID. ONLY
nlnety-five coastwise shi ps entered New
ork harbor during April of this wear,
as against 1T in April of last year.
While the number of vessels in the
foreign trade entering and leaving the
port are usually the same, ninety yes
sells less than the number that entered
cleared from here during April of this
year. The difference, he said is
blamed by shippers on their inability
to get cargoes through and loaded