Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-06
NEW ICE BLOCKADE
| MENACES NEW YORK
Much of Coal Thought to Be
in Sight Unavailable for
Relief of Sufferers.
HYLAN SHARES WITH POOR
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
| NEW YORK, January 5.-Warmer
weather today gave New York city Its
first real respite in more than week
from intense suffering caused by Sc
we're cold coupled with a critical fuel
shortage.
| Hope that the coal crisis had been
passed based on reports that ample
supplies were being brought to the
city on barges from tidewater points,
| was dampened tonight by statements
from fuel administrators warning
against too optimistic view OF the
situation.
Thousands of tons of coal which were
brought through the XIII Won Kun
been broken by ocean-going tugs. were
not for this city. as was first reported,
according to Reeve Schley,. county iueI
administrator, but great part o! II
Schley stated that 1880 tons had been
loaded on barges at tidewater TO-DAY.
How much of this had reached the
city could not be learned.
Provision for Bunkers.
Part of this supply went to the
bunkers of steamships lying IDLE IN
the larDOr TOT lack VI Auoi, aSSo. w..
to Harry T. Peters, chairman OF the
fuel conservation committee.
With a tanEle of contradictory re-
ports as to increased supplies Of fuel. 1t
appeared that the city was saved from
a continuation of its acute distress
chiefly by jump In Temperature 10 90
degrees. The higher temperature Is ex-
pected to continue tomorrow. but II
NAV bring snow with 1t, further clog
ging transportation facilities.
It was reported tonight that Kill Won
Kull was frozen over again, shutting
off water communication with the
principal tidewater points in New
Jersey Along the shores Of the har-
Dor the ice pack was said to extend
into the bay in some places as much as
a mile.
Urges Seizure Of Fuel.
Mayor Hylan wrote to Mr.. Schley to-
day urging him to seize 10000 tons OF
coal in the yards of the Consolidated
Gas Company and 10000 tons more at
the plant Of the Washburn Wire Com
pany. recently destroyed by hre, Tor
distribution to the poor. The mayor
made a personal inspection OF the up
per East Side. where ne saia ne saw
hundreds of men. women and chfioren
lined up in the street waiting Tor Goa!
while this tremendous quantity OF
coal was lying idle"
.Tn both instances" the mayor wrote.
IT think that as fuel administrator OF
this borough you should take immediate
action to seize this quantity OF coal ana
distribute 1t among the poor OF the
city"
Mayor Hylan gave away two tons Of
Brooklyn today.
Conditions are desperately bad" said
Arthur P. Rice. commissioner for the
Coal Merchants Association. "and they
are going to continue so for some time
to come. 1t Is unfair to the public to
give them the impression that the sit
uation is easy. and affairs are such as
to call for still more economy in the
use of fuel for long way ahead.
Shows Supplies Received.
Figures supplied by Fuel Administers
ending today the city received $4,000
tons. while the week previous the
amount was $4,000 tons. The normal
supply is about 100000 tons
A. H. Smith, assistant director gen.
eral Of railroads, stated today that in
the twenty-four hours ending at noon.
$3.50 tons of mixed coal has been
loaded on barges at tidewater. and that
$4,000 tons were on the way to the
city. of which IS per cent is bunker coal
for ships.
The police. acting on orders from
Mayor Hylan. today distributed free
5s2 tons Of coal among a.os2 needy
families, 1t was announced. Merchants
lent lis carts and trucks to the police
to carry the fuel to the homes Of the
poor. The fuel was given by persons
who had more than enough for their
immediate needs in quantities ranging
from a few pounds to several tons. It
was collected by the police in a sys-
tematic house-to-house canvass.
Appeal to Plumbers.
Heads of master plumbers associa-
tions in all boroughs were urged by
Frank Mann. tenement house commits
sioner, to request members OF their or
CARNATIONS ito give preference and
immediate aid to tenement house own
era to thaw out the water supply,
drainage and gas pipes and repair them
as promptly as possible"
Investigation showed. Commissioner
Mann stated. that about "one-fourth Of
the families in the tenement house dis
tricts are suffering in various ways"