The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-19
SCHOOL BOARD WORRIED. ABOUT
 COAL: STORAGE
McNeils Deny Having Op tion on Whitney Tract
 Sell Present Location.

Members of the board of education today on learning that the Archibald McNeil & Sons Co.,, Inc, had sold it's coal pockets to the Salts Textile Mfg. Co.,. began to wonder where they will store the coal which they had planned to buy for the schools and place in the McNeil companys bins. Papers transferring the McNeil property at Noble avenue and Howe street and fronting on the Pequonnock river, to the .alts company have been passed but have not yet been recorded. The purchase price is reported to be in excess of $150,o00.
 The McNeil company secured the property from Frank Miller and used it until the concern disposed of it's re- tail business some time ago. Since then the big coal pockets have not been used. It was at the suggestion of Kenneth w. McNeil, president of The Archibald McNeil & Sons, Inc, that Commissioners John A. Hurley, Robert D. Goddard and Louis F. Schwerdtle of the board of education decided to try the experiment of buy ing coal direct from the mines, tn- stead of from local dealers through
  Part of the plan was to store about 1,200 tons in the coal pockets of the McNeil company and deliver 1t to the schools as required.
 At the Salts Textile Mfg. Co. office it was said today that the McNeil property had been purchased to ex- tend the textile business of the con- cern but it was not likely that build
 
 diately and probably some arrange ment might be made to store the school coal on the McNeil property.
 It is reported that the McNeil com- pany is the mysterious" concern which is seeking to locate on the tract owned by Mary F. Whitney, in the North End. It was also reported today that the McNeil compay has an option on the. property.
 Mrs. Whitney had petitioned the common council to lay a spur track from the New Haven railroad tracks in Housatonic avenue through Wakeley street and into the property. The petition brought a storm of protest from that section. Every property owner in Wakeley street opposed the plan. Despite the fact that the spur track would take up most of the street, Alderman Malcolm F. MacFayden, chairman of the streets and sidewalks committee, favored the plan and the common council reported favorably on the petition.
 Before the public utilities commits sion at Hartford, however, Carl Foster, attorney for Mrs. Whitney, found an obstacle. The commission refused to consider the matter unless MT. Foster would tell what corporation was to locate on the property. Attorney Eos ter said he did not know but that a but that 1t would not purchase the property unless Mrs. Whitney could assure them, the concern, that the privilege of the spur track would be granted.
 President McNeil of the company denied today that his concern has an option on the property or contemplated locating there. F. A. Whitney, son of the owner of the Whitney tract, said he knew of no option the McNeil Co. had secured. He said his mother and D. Fairchild Wheeler of the Bridge port Land & Title Co., alone know the name of the "great corporation" which is anxious to take Mrs. Whit ney's land provided it can set city street for nothing. Mrs. Whitney will not tell the name of the concern and at MT. Wheeler's office today it was said he was out of town.