Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-01-16
SITUATION WORSE THAN EVER:
OUTLOOK FAR FROM BRIGHT
Confined from page 1.)

| Confined from page 1.)
c~~~~~~ ~>~~~~-~~~~--~~~~~~
| grew to be serious. Although schools
have closed in surrounding towns, the
local schools are open and every in
! dication points toward their being
| supplied with coal. The East and
| West Keyport primary schools have a
sufficient quantity of coal on hand to
last until spring. while the high school
has a supply for about month. The
/ Board of Education has been prom
ised more coal before this amount
is gone, but whether it will arrive
| cannot be stated at this time. Should
lit be impossible to secure more when
| the months supply of coal at the high
school is gone, then it is possible that
The closing problem will be discuss
| ed, but not before.
The borough people have, in most
cases. only a small amount of coal on
hand. Those whoLave laid in their
"a 3ter 5sys yeppl1 sS in h.o~,ns the nsssen fo
quality of much of the coal supplied
this year the supply is exceedingly
low. Many are buying it by the bag.
the dealers allowing but two bags to
a, customer in order that all might
be served, as the prospects of more
coal coming into the borough are not
bright.
The ]. and ]. w. Ellsworth Com
pany in Front street has taken or
ders for as much coal as it can fur
nish to customers, and some Of this
has been purchased at high cost to
serve patrons. The work of deliver
ing small quantities to those who are
in desperate need will be concluded
today and there is no prospect of get
ting more coal Immediately The
company expects to receive more coal
soon, but officials could not say when.
Louis Stultz, of Broad street. has
secured small quantities of coal from
time to time which he distributes to
his customers in two-bag lots, provid-
ing they have none on hand, but
should the patrons have more than
one or two days supply the coal is not
left, but taken to others who are in
more desperate need.
1t was thought for time that
wood might be secured and sold TO
help out the insufficient supply of
coal, but the price of wood here has
advanced greatly. Wood which was
formerly SO load has advanced to
from Sc to 50 a load
Those who have coal are doing all
in their power to conserve it, and gas,
into daily use. A slight scarcity of
oil has prevailed owing to the great
demand for it here, but it is expected
that this will be overcome with little
trouble. Gas heaters are popular
and electric heaters, when they can
be used, are also most welcome addi-
tons to a home.
In speaking of the coal shortage
Judson S. Hopla, an employe Of Louis
Stultz stated that a carload which
Mr.. Stultz had expected eleven days
ago had not turned up and whether
it had been stolen or passed on to
He also said that when the present
supply had been exhausted there was
absolutely nothing to assure the firm
that other coal could be purchased.
In order to conserve the coal the
congregation of Calvary M. E. church
meets in the Sunday school room for
all services. This is done in order
that the furnace might not be forced
and to save the coal as much as pos
sible. Although Calvary church pur-
chased its supply of coal in the early
summer it did not receive the entire
quantity ordered and will be short of
coal unless more arrives within a
reasonable time. The Reform ed
church is holding it's prayer service
at the parsonage of the church on
Wednesday evening in order to con-
serve fuel, but as far as can be ascer-
tanned. the other churches in the bor-
ough are holding their services as
usual.
The Steiner shirt factory was
forced TO close for a short time re-
| Gently and it has been reported that
the Keyport skirt factory was about
to close for the present owing to the
coal shortage, but this report has not
been confirmed by the superintend-
ent. The Aeromarine Plane g. Motor
Company as well as the Whitall.
Tatum Company has suficient sup.
ply on hand and 1t has been stated
that these companies have served thu