The evening world., 1917-08-27
LAWRENCE DEMANDED 1000
TONS OF COAL ON AUG. 70.

recess was taken al this point
When the hsa ring vas resumed, MI
Lawrence was recalled lie produced
certain rsports on coal on hand ana
said that Thursday last wa rthc nrsi
day on which the estimate made Wy
the Bureau - Economics had been
shovn Go be wrong.
On Aug. 20 the witncsg wrote 10
W. y. FINLEY Chairman ~ the Mo-
tive Power Committee. that he would
not proceed with work planned until
he obtained 5000 tons of coal neces-
sary. This lettet had been adduced
by notification from Finley that the
power houses would only get day
to-day supply.
In this letter he referred 70 the
failure OF the Berwind- White Com
pany to make deliveries and asked
that they be made TO give notice Of
difficulty 20 deliver at least twelve
hours ahead.
lie had written another letter 10
Mr.. Finley on July i6 speaking Of
lack OF coal. Even from May the
condition had been one Of day to
day supply.
Reports submitted By the witness
showed that for months the amount
OF ocal In reserve IN the bunkers had
steadily decreased. but Lawrence
swore that whatever the amount on
hand he had continued to ask for
another full weeks supply.
Then II there was no coal In re-
serve It was purely a matter OF fail
ure TO deliver7''
Entirely"
ibid you hear at any time that the
New York Edison Company could
have supplied you with sufficient
power TO operate the subway lines on
Saturday."
NO"
How many kilomatts did you want
for the operation OF the system on
Saturday."
II should say about 10000"
And did you not know that the
Edison Company could have fur
nished you with 10000 kilowattsH"
II did not"
And you did not try to rnd out7''
II did not"
q. What price have you paid the
Berwlnd Company for the coal yoI
haye been buying? A. The price was
1926 per gross ton.
.. This was higher than the market
price2 A. Not for Berwind coal.
q. Did you not testify to the Thomp.
son Legislative Committee that tli.
was superior coal and that you were
| paying for delivery under circum-
/ stances that insured safety at al
| times7 A. YeA
Now, Mr.. Ross" said Acting Chair
man Hayward, Il infer that you are
stubborn. You give me the impress
sion that you are lodging. Let me
ask you a few questions for which
| want direct answers. You concedt
first that II was the duty OF the Ber.
| .UrN a MI Ia
when your company demanded ttT
Yes"
Now. IL Mr.. Berwind had not beer
a director OF the Interborough, IL NJ
had not been a business associate
would he have been treated as he wa
treated7"
"He would"
Very well. Then when are yo'
going 10 get after Mr.. Berwind unde
this contract7 When are you Boini
10 serve the twelve-hour notice ol
him of your intention 10 go into IN
open, marketY'
"a will consult our law officers"
MIR. Berwind Is in the room. VII
you serve 1t on him nowT
The Commissioner offered 10 ad
journ the hearting for Ave minutes
permit the notice 10 be sorVeo' pu
the witness declined.
Mr.. Ransom then took the witnes
In hand again.
''Do you know that there exists
this city a pooling committee forme
for the purpose of protecting pupil
service commissions by having coal o
hand which any OF the corporatins ca
obtain at the market pricesY'
Yes. I attended the meeting
which tha pool was formed"
w., co,,Id have obtained coal {
anv time through this committee an
vet you never asked for itT" -,
1--WE relied OH our contract with Nj
? Berwind. We should have called G
, the committee only when our COZ
J tractor failed us"