New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-12-11

remove the cause. E. W. GROVES
signature on box. 30c.'
Statement BY the Connecticut Com
pany Relative to Fuel Conser-
walton Plans.
The following is COPY of a. letter
from the office Of the Fuel Admins
tration i'll Washington to the State
Fuel Administrators throughout the
United States.
Inc Conservation Department of
the Fuel Administration is. as You are
aware investigating every possible op-
portun1ty to save coal, which, of
course, includes the saving of electri-
city.
An investigation convinces US that
electric railways offer a chance for
large savings, particularly through re-
auctions in schedules. We are not
suggesting changes in railway sched-
ules which will seriously Inconvenience
the public but it is a well-known fact
that the pressure of private interest
has, in many instances, led the cleo
tr1c railways to provide cars and SER
vice winch represent wastage that
should be prevented in time of scar
city
1t is DR.. Garfeld's desire that Won
start this line OF investigation for your
State in consultation with the State
Public Utilities Commission. ASSURING
them that any reduction which thew
believe to be reasonable, will have full
backing of the Federal Government a
represented by the Fuel Administra,-
ton.
In addition to this matter of sched-
ules,| our attention has been called to
a number of other opportunities for
economy on the part of electric rail-
way com panieS. One of these has to do
with the heating of cars. We urge that
you ask the proper State authorities
to cooperate in the reduction of UNI
necessary heating. 1t has been stated
that the heating of cars represents
nearly 80 per cent. of the current used
by these companies. May it not be
possible to make a substantial saving
in this item?
Further we have found that in many
cases the system of power stations
could be revised with large savings Of
fuel, as is said to have been done in
Great Britain. There are along the
line of railway companies operating in
thickly populated districts company
power stations with more or less obso-
lete or inefficient equipment which
could, we judge, be discontinued or
reserved as relay stations through ar
rangements for the railway companies
to obtain their power from other more
efficient stations of other public utiIi-
ties operating in the same localities
and having large relay capacity.
! If the public utilities which produce
| power at the lowest cost could be used
to furnish the regular current require
ment of the railways in such districts
and the railway companies plants
merely maintained as relays, the saw
ing in electrical power and therefore,
in coal, would be considerable.
! We would like to add that all of
these companies should be urged to
renewed vigilance in the matter of
scientific economy in firing their pow
err plants and cutting off every kind of
leakage and wastage, especially in
| their transmission systems. We shall
! be glad to hear that you have taken
UP this matter vigorously, and that
you have found it possible to effect
| considerable savings in this depart
! ment."
The War Board of the American
, Electric Railway Association, which is
| cooperating with the Government de-
| partments and represents the electric
| railways of the country at Washing
| ton, has called the attention of the
! railways of the country to the sugges-
! tons conveyed in DR.. Garfeld's letter
! and urged them to cooperate to the
fullest extent with the State authori-
! ties in an effort to conserve the fuel
supply; and suggesting the following
points for considerations:
1. BY far the greatest economy in
the use of fuel is to be accomplished
by a reduction of service during the
,niG-forenoon, mid-afternoon and late
evening hours when there is less de-
mand for service than during the other
| hours of the day. The Connecticut
Company is having very careful in
| yestigation made as to the amount of
service that can be eliminated during
such hours with the least inconveni-
l ence to the public. And after a final
I decision is made full publicity VIII be
given to such changes in the belief
that such decreases in service as may
be made will cause little, If any, in
convenience if the patrons of each
line know exactly what changes have
been inaugurated, so that they may
accommodate themselves to the
change.
g. Material saving can be made by
the elimination of unnecessary stops
Studies will be made of such possibi1-
ities but as changes of this sort
would cause more Inconvenience than
the elimination of unnecessary SER
vice, no change will be made until full
information is given to the particular
! communities involved.
8. Large savings can be effected
49,.