Norwich bulletin., 1917-10-31
INDUSTRIES HIT BY GOAL SHORTAGE
Will Forced Close Down Indefinitely Unless Situation s Relieved-Channber of Commerce Directors Hear Re port of James J. Boyd, Delegate Boston Conference.

If We in Norwich hope to get by without suffering this winter we fnua1 be.>ready to respond to any call from the New England fuel administra tor, or the Connecticut fuel administrat or, should they need our help,- even to the point of sending q Norwich delegation to Washington to convince the au>horl- ties there that Now England does not holIer until sf1s is hurt, said James J- Boyd. delegate te the coal conference Eeld recently in Boston, in his report to tie directors of the Chamber of Com merce of Norwich. Conn.,, Inc, at their meeting on Tuesday evening. Indus tries in Norwich as well as New Eng land industries in general are hard hit by the coal shortage, and unless the situation is relieved, will, be forced to close down indefinitely before many weeks are out.
 With the exception of three dirsc- tors, the entire board was present at the meeting. which was presided over by President Charles V. James. The report as submitted by MT. Boyd was as follows:
 As your representative to the confer New England states Oct. 18th at thu Massachusetts state capitol, to dis- cuss ways and means to relieve the coal situation in New England, beg tC offer the following report:
 The meeting was called, not for the purpose of discussing individual manu- facturers' troubles, but rather as representative body composed or mem Eers Of the New Ensiani Chambers of Commerce and New England manufac- turers to endeavor by discussion of the situation to devise some method of re- lieyinE the shortag ge of coal. which. though felt quite seriously at tho pres ent time, will undoubtedly become much worse as winter advances, The coal situa tion briefly is as follows!
 New England, unless we secure inn mediate relief, will be short over six million tons of coal before Jan, list. This means apEroXiIna tely 26 per cent. of the normal requirements, On ac: count of weather conditions after Jan. 1st, it is reasona bl6 to assume that our sources of supply will be further cur tailed This will most assurediy cause manufacturing industries to close down Indefinitely. with resultant loss of work by laboring classes, and much suffering Is bound to follow. The ooai si ortage can be directly traced to lack Of coal cars and barges,
 James J. Storrow, with whom your representative conferred in regard to the Norwich situation, haa done splen- did work in trying to force some quick action from Washington to relieve the situation. but so far tho priority board has taken exception to MT. Storrow's report on the shortage of coal, believ- ing same to be exaggerated. At the an auditing committee was
 
 each state. to oarefu::y audit the New England coal commissioners figures and on finding same to be correct, they are to pre'i ~tit them. aa a committee, to the priority board at Washington.
 The fuel administrator of Now Eng land cannot do moro than he Is doing, and your representative urges that every effort be made by the Norwich Chamber of Commerce to help MT. Storrow and his associates in. the tre task which they have befofe them.
 We might mention that direct train loads of anthracite from the mines to New England Is helping wonderfully. The New England railroads are lend- ing splendid corporation in this move ar da new scheme of tug hoat and barge cooperation Is also being put into egect that will help the situation 
 The latter scheme Is that. instead of a tug taking back to the loading point only It's own company's barges. 1t will take its competitors barges back to the loading point also. We feel that this arrangement should be credited to the New England coal commissioner. |
 It may be of interest to the Chamber .f Commerce to know that a despatch ng system is already In operation, and ! this places the fuel administrator In a ! position to know the exact location of i sach and every barge and tug engaged n the coal carrying business to New England ports.
 The opinion of the representatives