New-York tribune., 1918-01-30
Coal Shortage
Again Critical;
Roads led Up
Continued from page ]

while forty-fvc were open. No schools
were closed in the other two boroughs.
After several conferences between
lanes n. Rosenberg, counsel for the
fuel administrations; Francis G.. Caifcy.
Assistant United States District Attor-
ncy; State Fuel Administrator Wiggin
and 5. Stanwood Menken, counsel for
George w. Loft. candy manufacturer.
the latter agreed to observe the closing
orders on every "fuclless Monday"
hereafter.
Mr.: Rosenberg last night said that
Mr. Menken stated in behalf of his
client that, although the Loft stores
were kept open last Monday, no coal
was burned and only one light was
used in each of the stores over the
| luncheon counter. Mr.. Menken, ac-
cording to Mr.. Rosenberg. denied that
his client violated the law. Mr. Men
ken also gave the pledge that Mr.. Loft
agreed from patriotic motives to obey
the fuel administration TO a letter
hereafter.
Whether the United States District
Attorneys office will prosecute the
former Representative in view Of these
pledges by his attorney could not be
learned.
1t was understood that Mr.. Lof.
would offer the defence, in case the
prosecution was pressed, that candy is
food, and that his stores were there.
tore exempt Mr.. Schley said he
doubted this defence would stand. He
also denied the statement of NJ.
Menckcn that the Loft stores We're
without heat. as his own inspectors had
bought candy in several stores that
were comfortably warm
Mr. SChleV said 4horn u,oro I,,,t |ov,
vlolators of the closing order. The Of
tenders, in most cases, were small
shop keepers. Between fifty and siXt.
specific complaints have been made by
the fuel administrations inspectors
and turned over to Assistant United
States District Attorney Caffey.
j. W. Searles. deputy commissioner
OF the Ildewater Coal Exchange. SAID
that the new coal bumper Of the Balti-
more Ohio Railroad at Arlington, n
j., went into operation Yesterday Il
has a capacity for dumping 100 cars Of
coal in a day and promises to help
solve the labor problem. which has
been partly responsible for fuel scar
city in New York City this winter The
Pennsylvania is Installing anoth OF
bumper Of the same size at Greenville,
y. J.
hat there will b. serious falling,
otf IN coal receipts 1T tidewater points
within day or two. as the result Of
the storm. was feared by coal men yes
terday. Chairman Peters of the con-
servatlon committee said that mas
much as there was no reserve supply
on hand, il was only matter Of days
till the scarcity would be felt 'sccnly
here.
Heavy Snow in Mine Fields
70.
ports to Assistant Railway Direct.
Smith from the coal districts of Penn
sylvania and West Virginia. In SONS
of the mine fields sevcnty-two niche <
of snow have fallen since the first OF
the year. Trains are stalled in deon
drifts. switches are ice blocked, move
ment of cmpties to 'hc mines is bei,,n
held up indefinitely and miners hay
Leen pressed into service clearing
tracks, abandoning thcir regular occu-
patton for the time being to dig out
Aside from the 5oow blockade. Mv.
Smith was notified b, railroad oAicia IS
m West Virginia kat the mines II
that state were suffering considerable
from high water and that there ar.
serious washouts on many coal lines.
llarbor Navigatior showed improve
ment during the dav and less t,oubl.
was experienced with iammed slips and
lncts. SiN steamers were buNkcrei /
yesterday. leaving twenty-nne waiting
for coal.
o-dav is "Shovcl Tag" Day. and the
Fuel Administrator is sending out
100000 tags. which ,cil be distributed
by Boy Scouts and school children.
These tags are to be tied 20 Goa,
shovcls. They bear \ message to the
user of coal to save it as much as pos
sible