New-York tribune., 1917-12-31
Administrators Wi. Com
mandeer Surplus
Supplies
Shivering Throngs
Wait for Fuel
Police Called to Keep
Order Among Crowds at
Relief Stations

Tor coal conscription and the otncf
for coal conservation. The Fuel Con
seryation Committee will meet during
the day to plan and put into eNecu-
tion these two means OF saving the
millions Of inhabitants OF New loIh
from possible suffering such as never
threatened the metropolis before
Hundreds Of men and women braved
zero temperature yesterday 20 storm
the fuel depot Of Burns Brothers at
Fortieth Street and the North River
and the Tedforj Eltz dcpots IN
F!ftv-eighth. Sixtv-fourth and ninety
.iy,h streets and the North RV,r.
The crowds became so 'ar-. ana
.lsmorous AZ these relief stations tnai
thc police had 20 be called TO Keep
-nrr. N line and maintain order. All
he ap-Ecants secured coal IN quanu-
,,cs varying from fifty pounds TO q
.iiarter of a ton. 4 few coal mer-
,hants ir all the boroughs kept their
places OF business open 20 supply
needy cases.
Tho principal hardship experienced
hy persons without fuel was waiting
iu line while the early arrivals we're
being served.
City's Stock Fast Vanishing
The last two DAYS Of below-zero
weather have taken heavy toll Of the
cit,'s Goa bins. To keep apartments
and Individual homes at a comfortable
temperature. not luxuriously warm,
severgl thousand tons extra have been
consumed since the mercury began TO
rlunCc downward last Friday after
noon. There is practically no coal IN
the yards Of wholesale and retail deal
crs of Greater New York. while trans
portation has been curtailed TO an
alarming extent by the zero weather.
Fuel administrators would give no
estimates on yesterdays receipts.
The railroads yesterday reported de.
layed freight trains on account or
frozen switches, labor shortage and all
the other demoralizing effects OF sud
den and violent change in weather con-
ditiCns.
Every ounce Of coal brought 10 Jer-
sev terminals was frozen solid, necessi-
tating a stesmnC process for every
car. The bitter cold cut down the clh-
cheney Of the altogether too small force
Of laboJcrs. already weakened by the
terrific pressure under which the work
men have been forced 20 labor for many
days past.
drivers Of the city began TO talk Of
striking for higher wages. County
Fuel Administrator Reeve Schley has
been asked TO meet the men to-day and
seek arbitration Fuel administrators
did not make much Of the strike men
ace yesterday, saying that the govern
ment would be called upon at once foI
assistance if any real difficulty was
presented. Despite the strike threat,
cores Of teamstcrs and truck drivers
Scrkcd valiant.y Yesterday delivering
.aal.
New York City is still keeping ahead
Of the cold wave by jump or two
There was 10 suffering reported TO the
borough administrators that was not
Immediately relieved. Although sew
eral apartment houses are reported 20
be without coal. none of these places
has been vacated.
There is probably more gas being
consumed to-day than ever in the his
Gas Consumption Jumps
The extent 10 which New York City
has resorted 10 gas heaters since the
fuel shortage began 20 be felt seriously
was fully realized on Friday and Sat
urday. when the Public Service Com
mission was deluged with complaints
of irate citizens protesting against the
size Of their December blAs. Fuel adj
ministratiou officials said that the
Whole reserve stock Of gas heaters Of
all descriptions had been bought up.
With kerosene selling at from l3 TO
is cents a gallon, an increase in price
OF from TO cents, II was reported
that the Standard Oil Company was
rushing forty carloads Of oil heaters
20 the city to FIJI orders placed during
the last month.
State Fuel Administrator Albert II.
Wiggin said yesterday that the imme-
diate problem was coal conservation.
All that is humanity possible 20 get
coal from the mines 20 New York tel
minels is being DONE he said The
Conservation Commission tO-dar will
luauguratc It's campaign for saving
Ard will decide what industries shall
bc shut OF from further supplies OF
shut down Nh NiEgin indicated that
places OF non-essential recreation. such
as skating rinks. would suffer the first
blow. He said the borough admins
traitors had already been working what
he termed voluntary conscription
plan, whereby individuals and corpora
tlons agreed 20 give preference 10 do
meste consumers and sell Of their sur
plus 10 the needy.
This plan, he said. would be extend
ed in scope by the fuel authorities
hereafter 20 whatever extent was
found 90 be necessary. Mr. Wicgin
aid coal was coming in very slowly
and that all ;he fuel authorities would
have 10 give the railroads and ship
pcrs all ard possible to supply the nee
esssry labor in getting coal into the
city
Mr. Sohley said that. on the whole.
New York pulled through yesterday as
we'll rs might have been expected.
However, ! know OF one man, rated
millionaire. who has not pound Of
coal for his furnace said Mr.. Schley.
But We are not worrying about the
rich We are centring our efforts 70
supply the poor
Canvass Of East Side
T.. Halsey Malone. deputy county
fuel administrStcr. spent part Of yes
tcrday az the University Settlement.
Eldridge and Riyington streets. con
ducting a canvass OF forty blocks ln
thc poOres, section OF the East Side.
lie rcported that conditions were fairly
GOOD. but that out OF sixty-four cellar
dealers in this section. thirty-eight
were without cCal. The others had
from one q five tons m their cellars.
some cf .hc investigators Informed
Nr. Malone that n number Of the deal
ers had increased their prices IN de-
lance Of the fuel administration, and
we're, moreover. violating the new city
ordinance. stipulating that coal must
be- sold By weight. The violstors will
be prosecuted
Frederick T. Cunnison. fuel admins
f,.tot for proo&iyn said there was