The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-01-04

The fight to get coal to this city-just
enough coal to supply the bare necessi-
ties Of industry and the homes-has be.
come nght against ice. For the next
forty-eight hours at least 1t will be a
grim and grinding Struesle. with nature
piline UP the odds against the coal
Sanaritans.
The situation is unprecedented. II be-
longS to north Russia, not these lsti-
tudes The Hudson River Ia solid ice
Gown TO 2o0th street. The Harlem River
b 4 glacier to 140th street. The Kill
van K0ll. that Indispensable coal trans
esr ehAnna between Jersey tidewater
and this hanhor, is locked fast. holding
many laden barges In its steel grip. Tho
Gowanus Canal. Newtown Creek, Flush
Ing creek--any number Of small but es-
sential waterwayB--have gone over to
Jack Frost and betrayed the city that
harbors them.
With loaded barses walled in by ice
throughout these waters, with icebreak-
ing facilities ridiculously limited for a
port of this size and Importance. with
few hig tugs available because Uncle
Sam has about gobbled them All, and
With the mercury saSgtng back to near
sero. conditions are literally about as
charge OF the coal relief problem went
to bed last night praying that the whole
haroor would not be frozen soltdly by
the time they got back to work this
morning. That Is the danger. and n very
real one-that the unrelenting cold day
after day Of near zero weather will
eolidify all Of tho waters around New
York city.
Moro than ono hundred steamships
are tied up in this harbor because Of =
shortage Of bunker coal. OF the freight
ers that cannot take aboard fuel. even II
Il were available, on account of the Ice
IAN that prevents coal barges getting
alongside more than sixty are in the
upper harbor and nineteen in Gravesend
BAY. Several American passenger car
rers and British liners are in the stalled
Rect. a large part OF which has been
loading or Is scheduled to load cargoes
Tor our allies, many of whose officers
end men have been waiting here more
than week to get away.
situation Is Desperate.
Conditions were difficult enough he
fore, what with a shortage OF labor,
with coal frozen In cars ut tidewater
and in the barges that crunched through
loose ice. with congestion at terminals
and uncertain train movements. But
The ice has made the situation fairly
desperate. There is no definite relief In
sight The Fuel Administrations and the
Deputy Director-General Of Railroads,
\ II. Smith. issue hopes, not promises.
Ihsy are bucking forces not amenable
70 Government orders.
Tho Deputy Director General the
most important functionary hereabout
t, 20 - tN
get coal 70 tidewater quickly and since
hs has taken it upon himself to hustle
'psl across the river, sized up the situa-
ron yesterday and did what he could
10 get action. Most Of the news he got
was bad news. Bulletin after bulletin
ot d's'rossing intelligence filtered into
''. "d'c. There were thirty barges OF
''nI tr's'n IN the tiill van kull on their
w." from Port Rcading to this city
Ih'r' wore thrty-rvc boatloads frozen
" 'H' Delaware River, ice grippcd while
oh passage TO this city. Coal was frozen
N 'he Harlem, in the Hudson. In the
nowanus Canal, in Newtown Creek. In
r,u"hins Creek, in Staten Island Bay
thousands OF tons had been com.
mandsered by the frost giants.
Snith planned quickly, being that SORT
~ man. He called together the head,
y marine departments Of all the rail
'H'' coming into this port. It wal
agreed 10 pool coal transfer resources
20 that way 1000 lighter hoats snf
''pPP b1rge.s we're put under the author
IVY ct central committee OF operation
committee which will take orders from
mo Deputy Director General Of Rail
rcads II was a centralizing agreement
,wh'ch Is expected to save confusion ant
Ns motion IN getting coal from tide
a'sr to Manhattan and the oths'
e'ronghs. " vas one OF the big occur
..ht's of the day. since II cut on" %
- ref|' rordisn knots that hav'
''h Jn.'oa' h,udlinc for weeks.
'"'h smith got down IA Jot3lls ~
~ ~" rr"'>.ity frr sending "st ir
''''F"r' ,ilJrl t'ior", .s,'f,rcs fhrous'
~ "la'Dug "s'ers. I."o, In; all a-"uut
'' '"'F ulr boat hc rprll get hi hand
W. H-. 'Ac r'ool trc'rht"" roughkccpsIo IL
,. Continued ON Third Pa0s.