New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-18
HarbOrStrike
Menaces n. Y.
AS Chief Port
Local Forwarders Are Ex-
porting 8O%ee of Goods
From Baltimore and
Philadelphia Terminals

The railroad congestion, pier strikes
and other labor troubles in the vicinity
Of New York are proving all but dis
astrous to the business Of the port. In
creasing numbers of steamship com
panies that formerly cleared from here
are using other harbors as terminals.
1t was said yesterday that New York
forwarders are exporting 80 per cent
Of their freight. through PHILADELPHIA
and Baltimore.
No less than seven big steamship
companies that had been using this
port solely as shipping base have
dlveSted their cargo carriers to other
cities along the coast within the last
two weeks. The heads of these com
panies say that others are taking sim
liar action, and that if the local situa-
ton is not cleared up soon New York
IS likely to lose its standing as the
foremost shipping terminal in the East
1000 Barrels of Flour Dispensed
further illustrated by the fact that the
United States Wheat and Grain Di-
rector, at AZ Broadway, issued more
than 1000 barrels Of -four from gov
ernment stores within the last week to
bakers, who were on the verge of clos
ing for lack of supplies
Emergency measures to break the
blockade are not expected to be taken
by the railroads before tomorrow,
when the Interstate Commerce Com
mission will hear the application of the
lines for suspension Of the operating
rules SO that they may more easily deal
with the problem.
Among the more important steamship
companies that formerly operated from
New York alone, but have now gone
to other ports, are: Norton, Lilly &
Co., Funch, Edge & Co., Barber Steam
ship Lines, James w. Elwell G. Co.,
Green Star Steamship Co., Holder,
Weir & Boyd and Furness, Witty &
Co. These firms say shipping facili-
ties at Philadelphia, Baltimore and
other coastal cities are much more IA
vorable than those that now obtain at
New York, and that the diversion of
large quantities of freight to other ports
can not help but have serious effect
on local trade
Norton, Lilly & Co. now have three
vessels operating from philadelphia and
only few of their fifteen to twenty
ships that formerly cleared from here
are using New York harbor.
Funch, Edge & Co. have diverted
three of their ships from the local
trade to load cargoes at Philadelphia
One of these will sail for South Africa
and the other two for the Orient Only
one carrier of this company has left
New York for the Far East within three
weeks.
May Be Permanent Loss
James w. Elwell & Co. have sent
two VaccpIa tO pbiIoJalnb;,
cargoes to Mediterranean ports Or
dinarily from six to eight of their
vessels left New York harbor every
month. Now they can get only two
boats out Of here
Furness, Witty & Co., who did most
Of their transatlantic shipping out
Of the local harbor, also have sent
much Of their floating equipment
to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk.
Portsmouth and Newport News.
Commenting on the general deser-
ton of the shipping interests here for
other points, a member Of the firm
of James W. Elwell E. Co. said:
"lf we continue to get satisfaction in
shipping from Philadelphia and Bati-
more the port of New York will lose
permanently a great deal of its trade.
These two ports enjoy a differental
from the railroads on all merchandise
amounting to saving of from three
to ten cents per hundred pounds be-
cause of the shorter haul and will be
used during the present emergency at
least to the. Limit of their facilities by
all steamship companies"
Other firms said the facilities at
Philadelphia made it much easier for
the companies to handle freight. They
explained there was no lighterage sys-
tenn there, the boats landing their car
goes directly on the piers, onto which
the railroads also run their cars.
There is little labor trouble there be-
cause, they say, the longshoremens
organization in Philadelphia is not
affiliated with the International Long
shoremen's Association, the parent of
the local body.
Transportation experts say that
many western shippers, who have been
using New York for export trade, are
so Disguised with the labor troubles
here and the resulting paralysis of
the arteries of transportation that they
CONTINUED on next pase)