Norwich bulletin., 1918-02-20
STATE WANTS GOAL
 REGARDLESS OF PRICE
Russell Files Statement With connee-
 tieut Delegation.

ministrator for Connecticut, has filed with the members of the Connecticut delegation in congress a statement with regard to the fuel situation in this state. After reviewing the gen. e-al situation in it's more serious as- poets, for the benefit of the men who may cast their votes on some question Iof fuel production and transportation, the fuel administrator reaches the con- ciusion that the state wants coal and more coal. and even at higher price, If that is necessary to obtain it.
 The statementS :n part, follows:
 The amount of anthracite coal de- Hvered in this state during the past winter months has been just about the same amount as was delivered last year, perhaps a little less. The pop ulation of the state has increased so that. even without the extremely se- were weather. we would have had rela- lively meaVlr supply for domestic use.
 'sThe transportation facilities of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad have been severely taxed by the extraordinary amount of freight, and they have been able to carry only ia certain number of cars of coal. The cities on Long Island sound, commence tng at Greenwich and extending as far as New London, which of course ordi- narily secure their coal by tidewater from the docks in New York harbor, have been in a more difficult situation during the past two months than the Interior cities.
 This has been due to the fact that lit has been impossible to work the railroad loading piers on the west side rSf l, capacity due partly to frozen coal. New York city has apparently had prior claim to coal loaded at these docks and the Connecticut cities along tide water 1; have taken what was left over, giving them, generally speaking, very in- sufficient supply
 l During the past three weeks the conditions in Connecticut have become extremely acute, due, as regards the railroads, to the fact that the gate ways were so congested that an en- bargo was in force; and, as regards tidewater coal, due to the fact that the ice in Long Island sound alrlost forced complete cessation of water trans portation. Added to this was a short age of about 35 per cent. ill the an- thracite production at the mines ex- ltending over period of about three weeks.
 T have compiled statistics showing iithe receipts of coal in this state dur Ing the week from February to Feb tS, and find that the receipts of coal both anthracite and bituninous, were inadequate to supply the normal do- nestle consumption for this period.
 "The immediate situation as regards 1 bituminous coal for factory and pub lie utilities has been aggravated by the fact mentioned above in connection with anthracite supply, which showed that in order to safeguard the domes- tic situation, it has been necessary tc luse practically every pound of soft coal coming into the state during the past week to supplement the limited amount of anthracite.
 Tt is perfectly apparent, therefore tthat none of the factories m this state has been able to secure practically any Ibitun1inous coal during the past week IThe supply held by various factories prior to this time was very uneven due to uneven distribution last sum. liner and last fall, occasioned by cer. tain causes. Some factories have hai Ienough coal to last them well into this looming spring. and others, among which may be mentioned some of tht more important public utilities, ana
 
 lies, have been living a -moutf existence" (In this connection Mi Russell gives the names of many i'm portant establishme that within thu Hast two weeks have been within ter hours of shutdown. These are lo Ieated in all portions of the state ant include factories in New Haven, Wa
 terbury, Bridgeport. and public utili
 ties all over the state.)
 In closing his statement MT. Rus
 sell says: .
 q hesitate to make any suggestion
 regarding the coming year, in ciev of my ignorance of mining conditions but influenced by statements made b, men experienced in the business, an, in whom I have confidence, I am per sonally inclined to the belief that tn
 government price for soft coal at tn
 mines should be increased to stinu late production. I feel the more in
 clined to this opinion because of tn fact that I am satisfied that what con tsunaers in this state, both individual !. land manufacturers, want is coal, ra ther than low price, 0nd of the tw errors I should prefer to make an CT TOT of allowing Q price few cent : higher than necessary at the mine: rather than price which is so lo1 l that it would diminish produc tion."
 Administrator Russell left Hartfor : for Boston, this afternoon. to atten another conference of New Englan l administrators with James J. Storrov lregarding the continuance or discon
 tinuanee in this section of the Monda Iclosing order A statement as to tn , decision of the conference is expecte by Wednesday afternoon.