The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-17
ASK $25o,00o FOR FREE COAL.
WHAT'S THE CHARTER, ANYWAY,
TO THE ALDERMEN

Corporation Counsel 10 Tell Them That
They can't spend the Public Money In
lndiscriminate (harity-(oal situa.
tion approximations Held Back.
The Aldermen, having heard that the city
has no power. under the Charter. to ap-
propriate 100000 for distributing free coal
10 the poor a. II proposed to do last week,
adopted a resolution yesterday asking the
Board Of Estimate to appropriate S25o0Oo
for that purpose. Last weeks resolution
was returned by the Mayor because II had
not received the number of votes requisite
for an appropriation.
Alderman Charles p. Rowland OF the
Fifth district voted against yesterday
motion on the ground that the measure
was unwise and would set a bad precedent.
Under the rules the motion would have had
10 stand over for week but yielding to
persuasion Mr.. Rowland withdrew his OPP
position and was counted as not voting.
The resolution will come before the Board
Of Estimate on Friday. In the meantime
the Corporation Counsel will he asked for
an official opinion as TO whei her authority
can he found in the Charter for spending
public money on the free distribution Of
coal. Mr. Rves would not offer an opin-
ion ofhand. yesterday. but many Of the
heads Of the administration who have been
studying the Charter have no doubt az to
what his opinion will be.
Tenement House Commissioner Robert W.
De Forest. who is also president Of the
Charity Organization Society, said Of the
resolution last night: Il have said from the
first that this action is unnecessary and am
Of that opinion still The present agencies
to supply coal to poor people are sufficient
President Baer Of the Philadelphia and,
Reading Coal Company came to town yes
terday and talked with a sun reporter
about the coal situation.
New York has a capacious NAV for an
thracite," said Mr.. Baer, but we are doing
all we can to fill 1t. There is not particle
of truth in the stories that anthracite is
being held up. The companies are rushing
it along and New York is getting, If anything
more than its share. The only delay l
know of was that of our fleet bound for
Boston. The storm casued that
Mr. Baer said that he disapproved strongly
of the course Of some Of the independent
operators in forcing up the price of an
thraCite. The Coal-carrying companies, how
ever, could not compel the Independent
operators to sell down to the level Of the
circular prices fxed by the companies and
carry their coal,
Stories printed by some papers Yesterday
to the effect that the Lehigh Valley Com
pany had 30 600 tons of anthracite at Perth
Amboy caused tho office of the company
20 be flooded with offers for some OF the
coal. A representative OF the company
said:
That yarn is preposterous. We have
not had az any time this winter one-fourth
Of $4,000 tons Of coal and we are holding
none back
The coal situation in this city was greatly
improved yesterday by the rain, which
loosened piles of coal that had been frozen
together. Deliveries Of all the companies
We're larger.
Somebody with curious sense OF humor
sent an advertisement to q morning paper
announcing that all who came with trucks to
the yards of Communipaw Coal Company.
AT 8O2-8Os West Fifty-first street. could get
coal at 81 ton, and long line Of carts was
waiting at the yards yesterday morning
The drivers at first refused to believe that
the advertisement was a hoax and police
men had TO be sent for before they would
leave
The chief emergency fuel depot Of the
Salvation Army in the ten-story building
in Chatham Square is to he opened to-day.
Major Ludgate will take charge. and coal
will be distributed or sold there daily.