New-York tribune., 1918-01-01

top?" demanded a portly broker. aim
shaft.
I'm afraid it docs,' answered the
elevator starter.
Whcreupon business in the building
ceased Although many men and women
had walked up 20 the thirteenth floor
during the morning. there were few
who were willing to brave the dizzy
heights above.
Among the buildings to suffer was
the structure housing the Chase Ma
tional Bank. 61 Broadway, of which
president. The State Fuel Admins
trnton office is located in the building.
Employees of the bank worked in their
overcoats, and several wore gloves and
mittens at their tasks. Late in the day
the building was furnished with
twenty-five tons, about a days supply.
Service Is Curtailcd
In other buildings the number of ele.
vators was decreasedl by half and in
others there We're intimatons that
shortage Of fuel might result in COM
plete shutdowns to-day. In the City
Investing Building. 65 Broadway there
were but four elevators in operation.
At both the Equitable and Woolworth
buildings. however, the engineers an
nouncod that they were burning their
normal daily average Of fuel and we're
keeping their Offices warm. The daily
consumption Of coal at the Equj table
Building is in the ncighbor rhood Of sew
enty-fve tons, while the Woolworth
Building burns about half that guam
tty.
Trains from all points arrived in the
f.~ bnL ~, J,,lo T,,
stances the delays we're attributed to
shortage Of coal, while in others it WAS
said to be due to the usual obstacles
met in firing locomotive in zero
weather.
Depot visitors from the Travellers
Aid Society found many cases Of hun
gry visitors to the city, who, having
gauged their expenses on an hourly
basis, found that the delays had cost
them more than their cash on hand,
with the result that many meals were
provided at the headquarters of the or
ganization, at 465 Lexington Avenue
Every bed was occupied there last
night. and it is likely that other shv-
cring travellers might have been placed
between warm blankets had the supply
Of beds held out
Big Stores Suffer
In the big stores the situation was
practically the same as in the smaller
business houses in the outlying dis
trcts The chief business of the day
was that of keeping warm. Employees
were permitted to wrap themselves up
in their outer coats and furs, and in
some instances, kept their gloves on
during the morning.
The wheels of justice came TO a com
plcte halt at the Criminal Courts Build
ing shortly before noon. when elevator
service, electric light and heat sudden
ly were shut Off. Judges. witnesses and
prisoners made laborious descents to
the street and agreed to settle their le-
gal differences at later day under
more comfortable conditions.
Across the street, in the Tombs. the
ordlnnry dlscomforts of prisoners
life were multiplied by the lack of
heat. More than $50 men shivorcd in
their cells while the final scrapines in
the coal bunkcrs were used to keep the
steam pipes from freezing up. Some
place between the Pennsylvania coal
neids, and New York is 500 tons of coal
tor the building, said Warden Hanlv.
Just when it will arrive is a question
that is worrying him.
The subway, which weathered the
record cold of Saturday night and Sun
day, let down yesterday, with tho result
thac thousands of workers were from
lcfty minutes to an hour late at Offices
and shops.
System Is Tied Up
The entire system was tied up conf
p!etely Tor ten minutes shortly after .
o'clock yesterday morning by the shor.
/ circuiting Of the cables at the power
station at Lenox Avenue and l35tn
Street. The station itself was put en-
tirel; out Of commission.
Trains were set going again by the
coupling up of stations on both sides
Of the Lenox Avenue Station, but the
supply OF power was such that all
trains wore slowed down until noon.
The effects OF the l3-below cold on
water and gas pipes and meters were
everywhere visible Yesterday. Every
plumber and man acquainted with tn q
Use of monkey wrenches and tools had
ell the work he could do. The Street
Department was deluged with requests
TO Dig up streets to stop leaks caused
nv EurStirp ~ Dinoe