The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-21
POOR MANS COAL
INTERESTS HYLAN
Mayor Objects to Plan of State
Administrator to Pay Dis
tribution Subsidy.
OFFERS HIS OWN SCHEME
Gives Figures to Show That
Small Purchasers Will
Be Benefited.

Mayor Hylan doesn't like the plan OF
Delos W. Cooke, State Fuel Administers
tor. to have the city pay local distribu-
tiers subsidy OF $3.50 a ton on the
pedler coal supply. and says that II Mr.
Cooke Is agreeable he, the Mayor. viii
designate distributor who will take the
coal at Government prices, pay cash and
sell 1t to the public in 100 pound bags
at reasonable rates.
In a letter to Mr.. Cooke the Mayor
said:
'Have thought over your plans to
have the city of New York pay the
local coal distributors a subsidy Of $50
ton on the pedler coal supply. which
on an estimated tonnage OF 800. 900 tons
would cost the city treasury $450,000.
do not like your plan and hope you viii
| consider another which will bring coal
! to the small consumer at even less than
! $40 a ton.
"As the representative OF DR.. Garfield
you have supreme control Of the allot-
| ment Of the $4,000 tons weekly supply
trade and you can send 1t to any dis
| tributer you choose.
Mayor Gives His Figures.
"1f you will send this coal to dis
| tributer whom / will designate he will
pay cash for it at Government prices
and will agree to sell II to the public in
| 100 pound bags at the following rates:
1
Delivered to householders. cellar
| Delivered 10 Householder, upstairs. IS cent,
These prices are based on your fig
ures of $7.65 long ton alongside New
York docks.
This distributor asks no official cash
or credit will give a bond of $250.000
to the city to guarantee the perform
| ance OF his contract and will submit to
! most exacting supervision as to honest
weight and price.
IF l have understood your own
| spoken words YOU can easily bring about
| this proper and necessary readjustment
Of coal prices to the poor of New York
| 1t is no easy thing for the Mayor of
New York to pay out s450.0o0 OF the
taxpayers money, but II there were nc
other way to relieve the poor II might
be justified. There Is another way, as
have pointed out to you. and hope II
will appeal to you as strongly as It
does to me-"
Mr.. Cooke Makes Counter Offer.
The Mayor made public this letter
which he received from Mr.. Cooke:
at occurs to me after reading your
letter that can make the Fuel Ad-
| ministration a useful Auxiliary OF the
clty's service to the public as follows:
II will send each day to your office a
responsible representative OF the Fuel
Administration. who will take all COM
plants coming to you with respect to
shortage of coal. handle them by tele-
phone with the Fuel Administrator or
coal distributors OF the various boroughs
and endeavor to provide each case with
source OF fuel supply. This, 1t seems
TO me, will give the quickest possible
action with respect to such appeal
There Is no question about the re-
sponsibillty OF the Fuel Administration
for the situation here. The allotment of
coal for Greater New York as well as
for the State has been placed in the
hands OF the State Administrator and l
shall not seek to evade the responsibility
no matter what the conditions in the
past may have been.
Plenty of Coal in sight.
The mines are In operation, the rail
roads are running and We are steadily
increasing the deliveries not only TO
brooklyn and Queens but to Tho Bronx
and Richmond as well. Dealers who
have lost their source Of supply through
one cause or another will be furnished
source OF supply to the end that, II II
is a possible thing to provide II. the con-
sumner will not suffer.
II shall be glad to have your sugges-
tons at any time and In my endeavor
to meet the situation confronting us will
not fail to bear In mind your very great
interest In taking special care OF the
people of small means.
Won understand that the arrange
meni looking after the pedler trade,
which discussed recently. is being
handled by the city Chamberlain and I
expect To hear from him any day with
further reference to It."