Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-16
COAL SHORTAGE At
GREATEST CRISIS
Fuel Administration Striving
to Move Supplies Tied Up
by Car Congestion.
MANY PLACES SUFFER

with reports Of almost nationwide
suffering as a result of the coal short
sxe, and the general fuel situation to-
day at the greatest crisis of the win
ter, eficfaIs Of the fuel administration
are spufred to redoubled efforts to re-
lease supplies held on tracks by cal
congestion z 9ap III
Orders have gone forth to fuel ad-
ministration representatives in the
middle west to make every attempt
to move coal to points in many in
stances declared to be facing actual
coal famines A. w. Thompson, chair
man Of the operating committee Of
eastern railroads, was called into con-
ference by Fael Administrator Gar
field for suggestions as to relieving
the situation.
Power Over Transportation.
Last night Or. GARFIELD named c. r
Moriarify OF Cleveland general direc-
tor 81 the Middle Western Coal Ship.
perss ,Terminal. Pool Association. ane
gave him full powers and authority t.
supervise transportation. Mr.: Mort
arity will work with Homer johnson
federal fuel administrator for Ohio
and W. X. Prudden, administrator fol
Michigan.
After his conference with DIR. Gar
field Mr.. Thompson said the situation
was serious, but that his committee wa;
making great progress toward reliev
ing congestion in the Pittsburgh ter
mfnal territory The full effect of tbs
committees efforts. he said. would no
100000 Men Idle in Cleveland.
Fuel Administrator johnson reported
from Cleveland last night that he ha,
started sixty carloads of coal into tina
city, where 100000 men were idle be
cause Of the shutting down of plant
been given full powers in the matter 0
distribution. said he would suppl,
househelders first even ii 1t forced in
dustries to close down.
III the weather stays severe he tel
egraphed. my opinion is that all indus
tries. no matter how important, should
| except In cases of vital importance 70
keeping plants warm or maintaining
refrigeration or something of that sort
give way to domestic needs. Tn,
| miners are not loading. and the emer
Weather moderates My office is dis
( tributing all the lake coal available t.
| domestic consumers and we are tryinj
to make up a trainload for country dis
! tributton for the northwest part Of tn
state,
| Differences between miners and Ala
bama coal operators have been ad
! Justeu, II was reported last night
(, convention Of mine workers has bee
| called to meet in Birmingham Thurs
| day to ratify.s new wage agreement
| The terms Of the agreement we're no
announced here. but II was know
| they are acceptable to both operator
and miners.
The fuel administration last nigh
turned to the car service cotutnissto
/ for aid in getting coal to shipbuildir
plants at Cleveland and Lorraine Ohis
! and Detroit. Mich, where seventy w
merchant vessels are under construc
! ton for the government. The head o
! The plant wired today that he woul
| be forced to suspend operations unles
given fuel immediately
| Reports from New York told of wide
| spread suffering in the city and state
| The New York city board of healt
wired that thousands of children wer
| cold ana that an epidemic OF preu
| ,nonia was feared.
Women in Churches to Keep Warm
| At Quincy. Mass, the Fore Rive
| plant OF the Bethlehem Shipbuildin,
| Company is running on short time be
cause there is no coal to be had An,
| the government arsenal at Water
| town. Mass, will shut down Decembe
! is II coal is not obtained In Beaye
valley Pa, women and Children yer,
| reported to be housed in churches an
| schools that they might keen warm
80 "a Mt n.