Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-10-28
MERCHANTS ATTACK ACTION
IN CLOSING STORES EARLY

CONTINUED from page ~
he had given him permission for a
short time to keep open until Z
o'clock at night.
Mr.. Ramsay stated that the city of
New Brunswick and the Borough of
Metuchen and other places nearby
were cited as being open until ,
o'clock at night and while this city
was closed at 6 o'clock and explained
this by saying hat these towns had
that Perth Amboy had not received
it's full allotment and as n result it
was found necessary to close the
stores.
He said that of 5000 tons Of coal
allotted to his city there had
been received to date only 10000 tons
and that he would like to know of
any merchants or citizens wins had
received more han his third OF coal.
He splained t'tlt last year he had
had trouble with certain merchants
regarding the early closing, but that
he did not expect to have il this year.
He said he had taken the matter up
with the Fuel Administrators of New
Brunswick and Metuchen regarding
the stores in those places being open
after certain hours at night n that
the law would be strictly enforced in
Middlesex County.
He said that there were coal yards
in this city at this time without a
single pound of coal In them and that
this did not look as If there was
plenty of coal. He said he was not
looking for any political office and
that IL any one present thought that
he would like the Office of county fuel
{ '~tinistrator, let him try to get IL.
, He then started In to tell about
coal and the amount that was neces-
airy to run this city. but was inter
1000 -. - D----l
who asked him to kindly explain why
he had closed the stores of this city
at 6 o'clock at night as this was what
the merchants were Interested in and
this was the purpose of the meeting.
At this. Mr.. Ramsay waxed warm
and stated hat he vas not RESPONSE
BILE to the Board of Aldermen or the
merchants for his conduct as fuel ad-
ministrator and that he was conduct
ing the office according to law and
that the only reason he had attended
the meeting was because he loved the
people of this city.
He said that he had been likened
Ito a Car by certain people and only
because he had tried to enforce the
law. but that the law would be en-
forced.
Alderman Anderson stated he could
not see why the merchants of Perth
Amboy were being treated in the
shabby way they were. when the mer-
chants of Newark and other cities
could keep open In the evening as
long as they liked and would the fuel
administrator clear up this matter for
him. Mr.. Ramsay said hat Newark
had received its allotment of coal. but
that Perth Amboy had not. but he did
not answer the question. asked NAM
times by merchants and Che aldermen.
why has Perth Amboy not received
it's allotment OF coal II other cities
have theirs and to whom Is this mat
ter up to and why has not the proper
authority seen to II that this city has
its allotment of coal?"
Mr. Ramsay attacked the patriotism
of the merchants present and the
Board of Aldermen in daring to criti-
cize h way the fuel administrator
conducted his office in telling the mer-
chants that they must close at {
o'clock.
Alderman Waters asked what the
allotment of coal was for Perth Am
boy last year and was informed by the
Fuel Administrator that 1t was TO. 00c
tons. ten thousand IONS more. bui
tons or a thousand ons more. but to
date only 90, 900 tons had been re-
ceived. To this the alderman replied
that Il really looked then that the
real of the present shortage wa,
up to the ones who had charge of the
delivery of the Goa and he could no
understand why the city had not re
ceived It's allotment.
Mr. Ramsay stated that he coulC
question but went on to tell of how the
people of South River and Cranbury
had not received their allotment.
Mr.. RAMSAY stated that he could
assure the merchants that the
o'clock closing order would remain ir