New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
City Could Double Supply
by Tribune Plan, Say
Experts
Capacity of Vehicles
10000 Tons a Day
Would Make Industries
Safe Until Spring,
Officials Assert

New York's idle trucks and tempo
rarily jobless drivers are being organ
lied into a great delivery service to
bring fuel to the citys paralyzed in
dustries.
Estimates made yesterday, based
upon official figures In the possession
of the War Department. indicated that
the daily delivery of coal to the Man
haitian side Of the North River could
be more than doubled BY proper use Of
motor vehicles that otherwise will re-
main in garages during the present
shutdown.
The plan, as outlined in The Tribune
yesterday was heartily indorsed by
owners Of trucks, motor experts and
local fuel administrators. Steps i'm
mcdiately were taken to carry it into
execution ana start the hundreds Of
coal pockets at railroad terminals on
the Jersey side of the North River to
empty coal bins here. The first Of
these was taken by Reeve Schley, ad-
mlnlstrator for New York County, in
the form of letter to 7. D. Pratt. ex-
ecutive secretary Of the Motor Truck
Club Of America, asking for informa-
ton concerning available trucks, their
carrying capacity and drivers.
Officials of the club already had made
a motor truck census of the city for
use of the Quartermaster's Depart
ment,. which in turn placed the facts
IN the tn hands Of the War Department
at Washington for emergency use. It
is expected that this information will
be used by the fuel administrator in
the present crisis.
These figures it was announced YES
teday, show that there are more than
5000 tons of Carrying capacity in
trucks now idle in the city. Experts
who examined the project said that
these trucks were capable of making
tour trips across the North River on
ferries each day, bringing an average
OF 10000 tons OF coal to New York in
twenty-four hours
Eurlng the present crisis the actual
delivery to greater New York has
amounted to less than $4,000 tons on
some days, to 10000 tons on others.
and seldom has exceeded $4,000 tons.
The delivery by truck of an additional
10000 tons of anthracite coal daily
thus would more than double the
amount of fuel brought into the city
by regular routes and, during the pres
ent conservation period, is expected to
place surplus in the city's bins that
VIII assure continuous operation Of
business until spring.
Discussion Of the plan among fuel
experts revealed the fact that close CO.
operation On the part of the railroads
and New Jersey fuel administrators
would be necessary to make the plan
success. The chief obstacle, as seen
by railroad men, lies in the fact that
yards and side tracks have been laid
out with view to handling the coal
by bargcs. With the barge system al
most broken down because of ice and
the increased demands upon it the ac-
commodatlon OF motor and horse drawn
vehicles. they said, could be worke d
out only as an emergency measure.
1t was agreed, however, that by the
use of switch engines in shutning cars
from outside tracks, which alone would
be available for vehicles carrying coal.
and clearing the way to the inner lines
of tracks that sotherwise could not be
reached, much could be accomplished
by the end of the present conservation
period.
Mr.. Schley. after studying the plan
carefully yesterday, announced that he
would do everything in his power to
carry it out.
"The plan sounds fcas ible and I Will
Immediately set about getting at the
facts upon which VIC must work" he
said Getting coal to the city by
truck sounds easier than it actually is.
put 1t can be done, and recognize the
fact that the present necessities are
great enough to demand strenuous
methods.
do not know how many trucks
could be accom- modated on the ferries.
tut they could handle many more,
doubtless. by operating at hight until
the city's coal problems have been
solved. In certain New jersey points
there are union regulations that for
bid the use of motor trucks in delivery
work at all. That is a point that we
Will have to go into and work out be-
fore we could tap .hcse places for coal
burns Brothers, who bring coal to
the city by use of their own vehicles.
use them only rs minor factor in
their business. That is in ordinary
times, however, and at present the ad
ditlonal cost could not be considered
by business houses that arc almost
without fuel"
Schools Shut for 3 Weeks