New-York tribune., 1918-01-26
"Speed-Up Men" Take
Steps to Give Plants
Here Needed Fuel
Pooling System
Helps Deliveries
$4,000 Tons Received Yes
terday; Much More Ex-
pected To-day

dial measures yesterday brought New
York closer to an ultimate solution O
its fuel problems than at any time
since the coming of the present Goa
famine.
OF greatest Importance was tangible
evidence that DR.. Harry A. Garfield
Chief Fuel Administrator, finally ha(
given ear to the demands of the city's
crippled industries, and intends thai
they shall have their full share of the
fuel arriving at the Atlantic seaboard
This evidence took the shape of two
personal representatives of the chief
administrator of fuel They arrived
in the city IN the morning, and within
nall an hour had earned the title OF
speed up men,"
Industries to Get Coal
The visiting experts, James B. Neale
and Arthur l.. Learoyd, announced that
they had been sent here for the pur-
pose OF removing every obstacle in the
way of speedy delivery Of fuel on the
Manhattan side of the North River. By
numerous conferences, the opening Of
thorough investigation of the port
situation and a complete agreement
with the city's administrators, they
convinced Albert II. Wiggin, state Fuel
Administrator, that their efforts would
result in giving the metropolitan dis
trict the coal necessary to keep its
10000 factories in operation.
1t was even predicted that they would
succeed in pcrsuading Dr. Garfield to
reverse himself and order the work
ing OF the machinery of Jersey dock
terminals twentyfour hours day
This has been demanded by Mr.. Wig
GIN repeatedly, but has been refused
Just as often by the Washi: .gton off
clal, on the grounds that it would re-
suit in confusion and would not ac-
complish the desired speeding up Of
New York deliveries.
This morning the two men will make
dash through the ice foes of the
North River 10 the Jersey coal pockets
and obtain first hand facts concerning
tho necessity for the change asked by
the New York official. Judging from
their ready acquiesence to suggestions
made to them yesterday the local ex-
perts are hopeful that they will recon-
mend this reform as we'll
Pooling System Helps
Still another agency that led to an
Improvement in the fuel outlook for
the city was the OF Grafton of the newly
adopted pooling system. under which
all coal arriving at New York tdewater
is contributed TO a common stock, from
which all dealers TO whom coal is con-
signed may draw without the formality
OF seeking their own particular cars.
The plan, which was agreed upon at a
conference of railroad and fuel men on
good effect during the day that a net
galr of between 200 and 800 cars of
fuei dumped was reported for the
tWcnty-four hours concluded at 6
o'clock last night
The gain in actual deliveries to the
city, however, will not be felt until
to-day, when the coal dumped into
barges yesterday and last night will be
brought across the harbor to be delv-
cred to empty coal bins here. Yester
days receipts here totaled approxi-
matcly $4,000 tons This 4igure is ex-
pccted to be increased materially to-
day
The combination of Saturday half
holiday. Sunday closing and the Gar
field Monday holiday is expected to
result IN the starting of surplus sup
ply of fuel in the city a thing which
mas been impossible since the daily de-
hNcrics were reduced to half of nor
MAJ requirements several weeks ago
1924 Coal Cars in Day
f.vcn the railroads. under the stimu-
'ating influence of orders from A. X.
Norris. recently appointed director Of
lldeWater docks, materially increased
che number of cars Of fuel backed up
mt tIdcwatcr during the day. The total
arrivals for the day. Of all grades of
coal, was ,62l cars. as opposed to an
average of but 1926 cars during the
last two weeks.
One of the numerous conferences Of
the day was held in the Office of " II
lrucsdale. president of the Lacka-
wanna Railroad. for the purpose of
acting on complaints OF coal shippcrs
VINO lnslsted that shipments were be-
ing reduced rather than increased bv
Secretary McAdoo's recent order cut
NhG down the free time" on cars from
i'Ve TO two days. DR.. Garfield's two
spccd-up men, the state and city ad
'u1 ''l,',' .orS' and numerous coal men
look part IN the conference.
the immediate result of tho mcotirc
was an agreement to COMPROMISES h.
.we"n the old arrangement of five d.vs
OF iTcc time" and the drastic order
SS,ut'ihg the period down TO two do,c
'hroe days now will be permitteJ -
'oal Shippers to unload .hcir fuel wthD
""s paEnent of demurrage charges on
v"rS va,i. holesalers who said that thcv
u"'u nave been forced to cease ordor.
NJ Wa. Ioa' a consigned to them undcr tho
;,uo" NV nr oruer' because of the possihil-
.'y & OF conilscatory dcmurrare rbsn'n,s- cbareos
agreed that the new arr,l ..."i scS'
SHOULD be satisfactory. at '""sement
-" Important error that prevented
."o c,'y from rcapng the benef;tn 90
lAS' mondays shutdown Of industr;o oa
M "%s 'cctlhed yesterday when Peo,o
T,ch1ey. fuei Administrator for Nor,
ofh county. issued exemption ordars
'hat Will permit the reccivinf- denar.
"ch'S OF business houses to remain
open Tor the movement Of fuel .nd
reight. AS a consequence Of thoso
orders. the second Monday shut -dow',
VIII become a freight and fuel nav
.hE day, during the course of wh;ch
J, Is expected that much of the CON-
Sestlon of local freight houses and
yards Will be cleared up.
Sixteen Ships Coaled in IIarbor
SIXTEEN ships were coaled in the har
hor during the day, leaving but tortv.
iour awaiting fuel before making de-
iayed transatlantic trips. With the
cutting down Of the number Of ships
demanding coal from the daily rcceipts
at tldewater the amount delivered to
New. York will increase.
The one spot in the city that was
not included in the generally optimistic
outlook was the Borough of Queens
George j. Ryan. administrator for that
borough, SAID 1T was likely that
many industries would not reopen this
Of ho, g.,