New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-07-30
SHORTAGE OF LABOR
CAUSING COAL PANIC
Dealers Have Good Supply But
Cannot Get It Delivered
DRIVERS WANT So A DAY

Unless More Outdoor Labor Is Forth
coming Many People May Have To
Sc Without Coal This Winter
Shortage Of Labor General.
New Britain must have greater
supply of outdoor labor or the citizens
will not get their winters supply Of
coal in their cellars before cold wea-
ther sets in, regardless of the fact that
the dealers hope to have a sufficient
supply of coal on hand. The labor
situation in so far as it affects the
local coal dealers is fast becoming g
chaotic. 1t is impossible to get men to
deliver coal and it is impossible to get
men to unload coal cars, and in the
meantime the factories are crying for
more help and are even so hard
pressed for labor that a small corps of
men is engaged each day in doing
nothing but travelling about the city
attempting to corral any idle men with
whom they come in contact.
Serious Labor Shortage.
The serious shortage of labor does
not affect any one particular coal yard,
but is general. George M Macauley,
manager of the New Britain Lum Der
and Coal Co., stated this morning that
his firm is so short handed that it was
impossible to deliver a. single pound of
coal today. Instead, all drivers and
helpers were set to work unloading
cars on the company's siding. To-
morrow probably this same gang will
be set to work delivering coal again,
and on the following dav deliveries
may once more be held up. At this
yard one gang of men had to split it's
time and do the work of two. Mr.
Macauley says that conditions are so
bad that he has to stop men on the
street and ask them if they want work.
| The time is past he said, when Ia
Dor comes to employers to seek a job.
The employer now has to seek out the
labor, and has to beg pretty humbly,
too Conditions as they exist at the
New Britain Lumber and Coal Co. are
similar at other yards. The failure
to deliver today's orders means that
tomorroW's should be doubled, but
that will be impossible, SO the result
will be that just so many New Britain
people have lost their supply of coal
temporarily.
Frank H. Johnston, president Of
the City Coal and Wood Co. reiter-
| ates everything that Mr.. Macauley
| has stated. He says that today he
| could send out only two delivery
teams where he used to end out eight
All because he cannot get men to
| work. In his coal yard he has one
! employe besides the yard foreman
| and last night Mr.. Johnston himself
, had to go into the coal yard, roll up
| his sleeves, and assist in unloading
a car of coal. He states that not only
| is it impossible to get men to de-
| liver coal but it is likewise impos-
| sible to get men to unload coal and
as result he has eight cars of coal
standing on the freight siding on
| which he has to pay demurrage rates,
| because he cannot get anyone to un-
| load them.
Employees Lured Away.
Berson Brothers, who, with the
| City Coal and Wood Co., have prob
| ably a greater supply Of coal than
! any other yards in the city, is facing
| the same situation and James Sulli-
can, another big coal dealer is no
, better off. Already Mr.. Sullivan has
| lost five of his best drivers and two
more got through Saturday night aft
| er demanding SIS per day. To better
show the shortage OF labor, as 1t eX-
| lists about the state, M. Sullivan
| has told of an incident that took
place last week when a big tobacco
grower from the northern section Of
| the state. hired two of his men from
him and not only sent two auto
| trucks down here to move their
household furniture and families, but
| also agreed to guarantee them a rent
w
Yesterday noon more than S 1000 in
cash was pushed across the counter at
| the City Coal and Wood company to
! pay for coal that was to be ordered,
! but the management was unable to
| accept q cent because of the uncer-
| tainty of making future deliveries. At
all of the yards there are orders on
! the books that have already been paid
| for but deliveries have not yet been
| made because of the scarcity OF help.
| Not only does the coal dealer lose be
! cause of his inability to make deliver
| les, but also he loses on account of his
| horses remaining idle in the barns.
| Today hay costs $35 per ton, where
(Cunttnusd on Eleventh Pags9