New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-14
Bakers Plead for Flour,
While Steel, Iron and
Other Plants Are Unable
to Get Raw Materials
Banks Calling for
Prompt Payments
100000 Cars Needed by
Railroads atOnce to End
Great Freight Tie-Up

There were evidences yesterday that
congestion at railroad terminals, re-
sulting from unauthorized. strikes and
other causes, are growing more ser-
ously hourly.
Bakers are beginning to appeal to
the Federal authorities for supplies of
-four, the steel and other industries are
facing shutdown for lack of raw
material, and the damage to business in
general, particularly in New York, is
reckoned in hundreds of millions of
dollars. What is considered Of graver
Importance by tradesmen is that banks
are insisting on prompt settlement of
loans and other Obligations, despite the
fact that the merchants are unable to
market their wares because OF chaotic
transportation conditions.
Little Progress Made
At the present moment, an official
of the Pennsylvania Railroad says,
little, If any, progress is being made
IN breaking up the congestion, at least
as far as the New York district ter
minals are concerned. 1t was stated
that the yards of one of the roads
here had an accumulation of $4,000
freight cars
According to dispatch from Wash
lngton, Congress was asked yesterday
to help the railroads overcome their
difficulties so as to keep production,
needed to put down the cost of living,
going full tilt. AS means of enabling
the roads to provide equipment, short
age of which is said to be largely re-
sponslble for failure to move the noun
tains of freight piled up at the gate
ways in the East and Middle West, the
Senate Interstate Commerce Commit
tee approved an amendment to the
transportation act under which they
could be given fifteen years instead of
five to pay back advances under the
$500 100000 revolving fund
Railroad officials said this would helm.
but they pointed out that the immedi.
ate trouble called for heroic measures
and that the carriers required 100000
cars.
The car service committee of the
American Railroad Association asserts
that reports show slight improvement
IN the situation throughout the coun-
try as a whole, with conditions very
bad in spots. Complaints still con-
the car service committee is endeav-
oring to allocate equipment to sections
and industries in greatest need of
them.
No Coal Embargo
There is no embargo on the move
ment of coal, livestock and perishables
The demands for coal were general.
This was kept moving, while orders
were issued for the quick dispatch of
cars to the Northwest for shipments
of grain and refrigerator cars for
California and Florida to take care of
perisha bles.
The South seemed to be the only
area free from congestion, the roads
bound freight, with the Northbound
movement regulated at Eastern and
Western gateways by the ability of
connecting roads to accept it. Par
ticular attention was given to the New
England situation because of the re-
ports that the tie-up was general and
that the number of cars waiting to be
moved now exceeds 10000
At Hartford, Conn, it was said that
the industries face the most serious
situation in the history of the city.
Numerous factories, it was reported,
will have to sh9t down within the next
two or three days if the strike condi-
tions prevailing there continue. Only
six out of 100 swtchmen usually at
work in the New Haven Railroad yards
were at their posts yesterday.
Railroad officials in New York assert
ed that large proportion of the
trouble in this port is an outgrowth Of
the marine strike, affecting the tow
boats, floats and lighters Of the various
lines having terminals in the harbor
They say that for some reason they are
unable to get a sufficient number of
men to operate the floats upon which
the cars are brought across the river
from the New Jersey terminals and that
the green men taken on are only giving
about 25 per cent efficiency. 1t was
stated that not more than so of the
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