New-York tribune., 1918-01-14

waters on both sides of Manhattan.
Coal carrying bargcs. which were not
intended to weather heavy seas. faced
almost certain destruction by ventur
ing into the ice fields.
One barge carrying 1000 tons Of
coal for Staten Island consumption
was making slow headway through
Kill van Kull when heavy fow crashed
into it, stove II Jagged hole in it's side
and sent the craft with it's precious
cargo to the bottom in few minutes.
The barge George Scott, owned by the
Buckholz Company. | Broadway, was
struck by an ice flow and sunk near
Jersey City. With it went 567 tons of
soft coal.
Five bargcs Of fuel. destined FOR
Manhattan Island. were found floating
in the North River early in the after
noon by the crew of the Police Depart
ment steamer Patrol. They had been
torn loose from their conveying tugs,
which had disappeared. The barges were
taken to 140th Styeet, and the 1000
tons of fuel on board added to the
small quantities that arrived here from
other sources.
North River an Obstacle
That the difficulties Of transporta-
ton across and under the North River
are the chief obstacle in the way of
fuel for the city just now was shown
by the tables compiled by A. II. Smith,
representing the railroads here. 1t
was shown that all varieties of coal
dumped from cars into barges at New
Jersey tidcwater up to 6 o'clock in the
morning total}ed $4,000 tons. In barges
waiting to be moved at that hour were
74,lS0 more tons of coal Remaining in
cars at tidcwater, awaiting the facli-
;ies for dumping them, were 99,150
tons Of all grades of coa,.
From this coal. however. must be
taken the supply Of fuel for all Of tho
ships waiting in the harbor for trans
atlantic traffic.
Hereafter, say Washington officials.
they will be given even greater prefer
enee. than heretofore ovcy the citv's
requirements. State Fuel Admnis-
srator Wiggin made no protest at the
preference to be given TO war shipping,
lut insisted that this fact be recog-
nized IN allotting coal to the city and
state.
I'VE do not propose to have New
York City Disseminated against nor be
compelled to bear the brunt OF the ma
ton's war sacrifices just because ship
ping activities arc centred here" said
ne. THE requirements of shipping in
These, Of course, should be met, but
there is no reason why that quantity
OF fuel should come out Of the city's
supply. There is no reason why New
York should. close down its industries
while other coast cities remain unmo-
lested."
Less Acute in New England
Reeve Schley, administrator for New
York County, said that the fuel ad
ministration here did not consider New
England's necessities to be as great as
have been represented. inasmuch as no
New England industries have been
shut down. This statement was used
as an argument in favor of resembling
the priority order under which 500 cars
of fuel are sent to New England states
daily before New York is given an
opportunity to obtain its supply Of
fuel from the cars arriving at tide
water in New JERSEY.
Every effort is being made to keep
hospitals and such institutions sup
piled with fuel, said Mr.. Wggin. He
thought that recourse to card allot-
:nents, as has been repeatedly sng-
gested, would not be necessary, but