The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-06
CITY SUFFERING
4 FOR COAL FAST :
/ IN ice HARBOR
100000 Tons Near N. Y. Held
Back by Ice FlOes.
Gotham Faces Most Critical
Situation Ever Known.
ICY BLAST SWEEPS COAST
400 Bronx Apartment Houses
Are without Heat Today.
Heavy Shows Continue To Tie
( Up Eastern Railroads.
Gotham Faces Most Critical
Situation Ever Known.
icy BLAST SWEEPS COAST
400 Bronx Apartment Houses
Are without Heat Today.

New York. Feb. 6.=With 10000
tons of coal at tidewater points in New
Jersey cut off from New York by ice
fields and scarcely a days supply of
icoaI ahead, fuel administrators today
were alarmed over the situation which
they described as the most critical of
the winter
i only $4,000 tons of anthracite
REACHED the city yesterday, about 5000
tons less than it actually needed to
supply hospitals, homes, schools and
public utilities. More than 400 apart
ment houses in the Bronx were re-
ported to be without heat today In
the poorer sections the suffering is de-
cleared to be the most acute in years.
: Scores of manufacturing plants al
tready have closed for lack of fuel,
fleet of tugs today attacked the ice
ffloes in the harbor in an 'endeavor to
,release hundreds of coal laden barges
frozen solidly in the ice. SiXty-five
sof them were reported disabled by
towing companies last night
4 The freight situation also has been
aggravated by the cold, and the con-
tgestion at piers, sidings and terminals
is worse than it has been in some time.
according to transportation OFFICIALS
Nearly 1900 freight handlers at the
epiers here quit work yesterday, re-
fusing to face the icy blasts along the
water front.
May Mean More Shutdovns.
Washington, Feb 6-The National
railroad faces its greatest crisis of the
winter in the east today. Renewed
sheavy SHOWS and bitter cold sweeping
thru districts already staggering under
coal and food lack have paralyzed
ths great transportation system to the
danger point.
These conditions resulted in con-
tinuing the voorhees, Monday order,
which it had been hoped could be re-
Noked this week. 1t has opened up
the possibility of further "shut down"
holidays, with February 9-12 and Feb
rusry 22-25, the four day periods for
fclosing under consideration.
Many communities are suffering Sc
MERELY. Reports of no coal on hand
and no possibility of moving any in
were received from different points
today Many industries are 9ctually
sclosing for lack of fuel. The rail tie
sup in some parts is threatening the
flood as well as the coal supply.
Too Cold to Work.
Temperatures from 30 to 40 below
lin northern New York state drove
trainmen to seek shelter from the icy
BLASTS. leaving food, fuel and other ne
Scesslties waiting on the tracks. Some
New England sections are running on
twenty-four hours reserve coal supply.
Trains are being delayed in all i'm
sportant terminals waiting Sengines
from round houses due to inability to
get men to work" Regional Director
smith wired director NIeneral MCAQOO
late yesterday
Reduction of tonnage was from 20
to so per cent thruout the storm
swept region up to today. Ice clogged
Switches, derailmentS and frozen
BRAKES were minor troubles added to
the demoralized condition.
: Bunkering of ships was hampered
by labor shortage due to cold. Coal
ibarges are caught in the New York
sharbor ice. Total freight movement
Unto New England dropped to 1899
cars, half of this perishables.
Coal Famine Not Relieved
New Hampshire reported only
9three-day coal supply on hand, the
most favorable report from any of the
state fuel administrators. The Penn
.sylvania administrator declared only
one days supply was on hand.
Conditions in Ohio and other states
70 axcnadin civ n.r.a1 Va