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FIEI6RT CONGESTION IN EAST SHORTAGE OF CARS CAUSED BY CONGESTION PRESENTS SE? RIOUS PROBLEM. Fenhsrgo Placed by Railroads on Shi parent of Exports to East and Mot has of Steamers to Porta are Piswetcd to Relieve Trouble. Washington, Fei?. 15.?The chief railroads .of the country took sum? mary action tod*y to relieve the ?hortag-e of freight cars and traffic congestion at Eastern seaports, again approaching an acute stage because of the curtailment of trans-Atlantic sailings by Germany's new subma? rine campaign. Representatives of 30 roads at a meeting here attended by interstate commerce commission officials reach* I ed a "gentlemen's agreement" for a new and drastic campaign of re? lief. Including the following meas? ures: Adoption of regulations tantamount to a virtual embargo on all export shipments through eastern ports un? til a part of* the vast accumulation Already awaiting steamships can be cleared away. liberal use of "an intelligent em? bargo'* on all domestic eastbound shipments. Such an embargo, al? ready effective on some roads, may be extended. A policy of separating empty from loaded cam In the congested yards and sanding the empties back with ethers? nleeeia by unloading t a West? ern Noes In solid train loads ahead of ndt ether traffte except passenger Eastern roads agree to give an ad? ditional empty car to their Western connections for every losded car re? ceived. Export traffic through the East will remain virtually at a standstill during the period of adjastment and east bound domestic traffic will be greatly curtailed If the plans work out The amount of freight for export has in? creased greatly at Eastern ports be? cause of the great decrease In steam? ship sailings since the severance of diplomatic relations with Germany, the congestion at some Eattern yards. It. was said, having become so se? rious that It is extremely difficult to mote anything One road is report? ed to have every track crowded and lay addition care loaded with export Client standing on 94 barges in New and In addlton there arc 4.000,000 bueMs of export.wheat in Minneap? olis Which has been waiting trans? portation to the East for more than two months. In New England, railroad men said, there is a threatening shortage of grain, while the flour supply of Pitts? burgh, Philadelphia, New York and Mew England cities Is rone too large. At today's meeting It was decided to move two train loads of 50 cars each from Minneapolis daily, one laden with wheat for New England, the other carrying flour to New England and the three c ties named. The two dairy trainloads of wheat and flour are to be given the right of way over all other traffic except passenger business. Railroad officials believe ths plan will succeed In avert? ing any foodstuffs shortage in Eastern cities. Ths embargo applying agalns* oast bound shipments, it was said, will not apply to foodstuffs for domestic use, which will be expedited as much ss possible. The roads also will move coal promptly to Eastern cities and to any points where a shortage threat? ens, directing their first energies to keeping the lines open for coal and food. As fast sa soiling ocean steamers diminish the accumulation of freight awaiting export at Eastern ports the railroads will let down the bars on the embargo, permitting the shipment, ton for ton, of supplies to replaco those taken away. In this manner, It le thought, the eld accumulation ran be disposed of aid fresh shipment can be disposed of snd fresh ship? ments will await their turn. Finding the empties In crowded yards, making them into trains and dispatching them westward on fast freight schedules is a task which some officials regard as almost herculean, though necessary if adequate relief Is to bo obtained. Some of the roads, H is understood, have offered to place ?their own empties at the disposal of other roads hit harder by the gen? eral shortage snd all the roads, it was said/ will work in close cooperation toward amelioration of conditions tl. usjhout the country. WORST CONGESTION KNOWN. Chicago, Feb. 15.?The freight con? gestion which the "gentlemen's agree? ment" made today by reprenntatlvcs of 30 leading railroads ut Washing? ton Is designed to relieve it is said by shippers, railroad men and traffic experts of commercial organizations to be more serious at present than ever before. Associated Press dispatches from East and West. North and South, snd Information gathered In this city, the heart of the country's rullroad TO CONTINUE BELGIUM WORK. AMERICANS WILL NOT WITH? DRAW FROM FAMINE DIS? TRICTS. Gorman Authorities In Brussclls De? cide to Retract Orders for Aban? donment of Task. London, FeV. 15.?Representatives of the American Commission for I lief in Belgium will not with aw from the occupied portions of Belgium and northern France as previously had been arranged, but will remain for the present, it is now stated. The commission received today a dispatch from its office in Rotterdam stating that at a meeting held in Brus' selsthe German authorities announc? ed that all representtaives of the com? mission might remain in Belgium and northern Franco on the same footing as heretofore. Present at this meet? ing were Baron von der Lancken, civil governor of Brussels, the Ameri? can and Spanish ministers, represen? tatives of the Belgian relief commis? sion and of the Belgian national com? mittee. The Weather. These days are Ideal for the using one of these silk Jersey sport coats which tho Sumter Dry Goods Co. are se lii *. Bight pretty shades to select from.?Advt. Gas in the stomach or bowels is a disagreeable symptom of a torpid liv? er. To get rid of it quickly take Her? oine. It is a marvelous liver stim? ulant and bowel purifier. Price 50c. Sold by Slberts Drug St?re.?Advt. Rev. Dr. E. E. Oillespie has declin? ed a call to the pastorate of Florence Presbyterian church and will remain in York. A scald, burn, or seven? cut heals slowly If neglected. The family that keeps a bottle of Ha Hard's Snow Liniment on hand Is always pre? pared for such accidents. Price 2f.e, 60c, and $1.00 per bottle. Sold by Sibert's Drug Store.?Advt._ system, pictured business as suffering keenly from the sluggish movement of freight trains. For many months the congestion has been working westward from the seaboard,^ where at first the effect was folt in the insufficiency of ocean bot? toms to transship the tremendous in? flux of war supplies needed in Europe. At first it was war munitons which blocked ">ther traffic but generally as yaifcs oeCama ooaitfted other prod? ucts accumulated until now there are 10,000,000 bushels of grain in Chi? cago elevators and 7.00,000 bushels in railroad cars which can not be moved. And North, South and West of this gateway instructions are out holding back shipment of every? thing except perishable goods, live stock and fuel. Unusually cold weath? er and heavy snowstorms did their part in increasing the evils of the sit? uation. From New York to Chicago rail? road yards are jammed with cars, thousands of them loaded, and these imprisoning many empties. Among shippers the opinion is ex? pressed that the railroads are doing the best they can. NEUTRAL STEAMERS MAY HELP. New York, Feb. 16.?Relief from the freight congestion caused by the German submarine policy was seen today In the announcement that a number of Dutch and Scandinavian vessel* would soon depart with car? goes. The understanding that the British naval authorities had ar? ranged for neutral ships bound for Scandinavian ports to touch at Hali? fax Instead of Klrkwall and thus avoid the submarine zone, gave prom? ise of the resumption of regular sail? ings. The export situation today, how? ever, was decdlared by railroad traffic heads to be the most serious in the history of the port. They said the congestion was not serious here bo cause of almost wholesale embargoes against shipments from the West lor export. These embargoes, it was pointed out, are responsible for un? usually congested conditions in the West. Unless relief now Is assured through early offerings of considerable cargo space, according to men familiar with the situation, more restrictive embar? goes must be placed, congestion will Increase in many parts of the coun? try, loaded cars will stand idle, great quantities of perlshablo foodstuffs will be dumped on domestic markets, manufacturers will cease to consign shipments eastward and the produc? tion of many raw products will be reduced. Railroad traffic managers assert that the ship shortage situation of a year ago, when the export burden overtaxed New York capacities, taught a lesson from which they are pro? fiting c*; this time. Then piers and terminals were piled with freight much of which perished. Today, they point out, there Is no such congestion because for many months the rad roads have accepted freight from the South and West only when consignees proved In advance that cargo space was awaiting. ONE OF WORST PROBLEMS IN GERMAN RELATIONS RE? MOVED. Danger of Final Break is Still Very Serious Matter, as U-Boat War Is Being Waged with Unrelenting Ferocity?Otber Matters Still Un? settled. Berlin, Feb. 15, via London, Feb. 16.?The American seamen who. were brought prisoners to Germany on board the British steamer Yarrow dale have been liberated. Was*- jton, Feb. 15.?News, of the liberation of the 72 American sea? men brought to Germany by the prize ship Yarrowdale came tonight after President Wilson and other i dminis tration officials had retired. Their release disposes of one of the most pressing and irritating phases of the German-American situation. With President Wilson's approval, a note peremptorily demanding of Germany that the Americans be Ve leased had been prepared at the state cdpartment and was expected to go forward tomorrow. There virtually is no hope here, however that the hour of more se? rious trouble with Germany can be postponed much longer. EXTREME COLD WEATHER. Mr. Dabbs Thinks Oat Crop Will Come Out, if Seasons are Favorable From Now On. Editor Daily Item: We thought we had some cold weather here, but a clipping from the Worcester, Mass., Gazet'.e shows that we do not know what cold weather is. Temperatures of 8 to 50 belo zero and ice 2 1-2 to 4 feet thick on the riv? ers and lakes of New England, make our 8 to 10 above look like spring. Except in the shade ice melted and the soil thawed every day during our cold spell. I think the oat crop has enough plants to left to make a good crop, if seasons are favorable .^from now on. E. W. Dabbs. A Surprise! The Sumter Dry Goods are show? ing a line of silk dresses which will prove a surprise when you leain the price. Don't let the prettiest to be? fore you sae them.?Advt. C ?ew York, Feb. 19.?TwA^iim ers out of New York under ohartor of the Kerr Steamship company were sunk in the submarine zone, accord? ing to reports received by the com? pany. One, the Dalmata, Norwegian, which left New York for Havre on January 24th, is reported sunk Feb? ruary 9th. The other, the Spanish steamer Mar Adriatlco, left for( Bor? deaux January 16th and is reported sunk February 11th. No Americans are believed to have been aboard. When the bowels become irregular you are uncomfortable and the long? er this condition exists the worse you feol. You can get rid of this misery Quickly by using Herbine. Take a dose on groin* to bed and see how fine you feel next day. Price 50c. Sold by Siberfs Drug Store.?Advt. ? Sporty Sport Coats. The sportiest ideas in sport coats in town are now to be seen at the Sum? ter Dry Goods Co. The good shades are gold, copen, green, old rose, wis ? oi ia and copper. Plaids and plain velours are also on the line.?Advt. CONFIRMED TESTIMONY. The Kind Sumter Readers Cannot Doubt. Doan'8 Kidney Pills have stood the test. The test of time?the hardest test of all. Thousands gratefully testify. To quick relief?to lasting results. Sumter readers can no longer doubt the evidence. It's convincing testimony?twice told and well confirmed. Sumter readers should profit by these experiences. E. W. Vogel, 401 W. Hampton Ave., Sumter, says: "For several years I suffered from pains through the small of my back and whenevor 1 stooped, I was in misery. My back became very weak and several times I had to give up work. A physician treated me, but his medicine as well as a number of others, brought no relief. After using one box of Doan's Kidney Pills, the pains disappeared and six boxes completely cured me." A Permanent Cure. Over two years later, Mr. Vogel said: "Doan's Kidney Pills made a permanent cure in my case." Price 50c, at all dealers. Don't simply ask for a kidney remedy?get Doan's Kidney Pills?the same that Mr. Vogel has twice recommended. Foster-MIlbum Co., Props., Buffalo, N. Y.?Advt. (24) A child that his Intestinal wornV Is handicapped in its growth. A'fc;^ dosesof White's Cream Vermifuge de? stroys and expels worms; the gJiiM immediately improves and thrives wonderfully, Price 25c per bottle. .Sold by Sibert's Drug Store.?AdvL New Models OVERLAND, WILLYS AND WILLYS-KNIGHT Call and see the Latest Thing in the Automo? bile Line. If it is Motor-Driven we have it. A Car For Every Purpose Light Four Touring. $665 Roadster. $650 Country Club. $750 Light Six Touring ....... $985 Roadster. $970 Coupe. $1385 Sedan. $1585 Big Four Touring ....... $850 Roadster. . $835 Coupe .. $1250 Sedan. $1450 Willys-Knight Four Touring . Four Coupe . Four Sedan . . Four Limousine Eight Touring ? . ? ? ? ? . ? $1285 $1650 $1950 $1950 $1950 All prices f. o. b. Toledo and subject to change without notice. Model 90 Touring OVERLAND SALES CO. 210 W. Liberty St. Sumter, S. C. Phone 723