New-York tribune., 1918-01-07
Rising Temperature Aids
in Restoring Comfort to
New York
Police Help to
Heat Many Homes
Freezing Rain and Slippery
Streets May Hamper De-
liveries To-day

Thanks to the rising temperature
and $4,000 tons of coal delivered here
during the day, New York retired last
night in the nearest approach to COM
fort the city has experienced since the
arrival of the recent cold wave.
The entire police force combed the
city for surplus fuel. tapping private
and public bins for contributions, with
the result that warmth was carried
into homes that had been without fires
for days. In some instances families
that to-day may be without fuel gave
their bit, in small pals. bags, or even
shovelful to aid neighbors whose
needs had been brought to their at
tcntion by the all-seeing crossing po-
liceman.
Just how long radiators will continue
to clink was a question that neither
Federal administrators of fuel nor vol
unteer Investigators dared to answer.
But continuation of mild weather
ard favorable conditions is expected
to bring an even greater supply of fuel
to the city to-day
Temperature To Be Stationary
From the office of the weather fore
caster in the Whitehall Building came
the encouraging news that there prob
ably would be no change in the tenn
perature to-day. East to south winds,
which resulted in the hoistng of storm
flags in warning of atmospheric dis
turbances this morning, were scheduled
70 bring rain or snow to New York and
vicinity, but no drop OF the mercury.
The rain, however,, arrived before
schedule at II o'clock last night, coat
ing sidewalks and streets with a thin
sheet OF ice that may prove a formid-
able obstacle in, the way of coalsSde-
f'veries to-day. How serious this diff
Guilty may be in holding up deliveries
NOBODY was able to say last night. 1t
was explained, however, that slight
rise OF the mercury would make team
delivery IN the streets an easy task.
During the DAY a fleet of ninety
oarges moved across North River to
Manhattan, bringing exactly 55.O74 tons
Of coal. Pitt d. Hand, representing
A. n. Smith, assistant railroad director
produced the -.otficial figures of coal
orought to tldewater and the amount
brought to the city, which indicated
mat New York was in far better condi-
uon -ast night than at any time since
'ne 1uel situation became acute a week
ago.
But to prevent optimism from rising
faster than the temperature or the
coal supply Mr. Hand called attention
10 the fact that there still were
obstacles 20 a complete solution of the
heat problem
- would rather be hanged as an
op''mist than pessimist, but the
situation is still serious, and will be
ior months TO come" he said "It has
come to serious problem of loading
anu un oadlng the coal that is living at
terminals, and workers are busy night
ana day relieving that situation"
More Coal at Terminals
According to the railroad officials
hgures, 18,001 tons of anthracite coat
reached the city for delivery during
'ne day and 37,073 tons of bituminous
coal was unloaded on the New York
slde OF the river. There still is large
supply OF coal waiting on barges to be
Iqsned to the city from Jersey City anl
noDoken terminals this morning. Ac-
.orolng to Mr.. Hands figures, this wait
iag addition to the city's supply con-
slsts of 1,l03 carloads, or 55,15O tons.
moreover, there are 3O7 empty barges
AZ AZ tldewater awaiting the arrival of
iaei ;s TINS morning, with a total carry
.ag capacity of $4,000 tons. Since one
pnase OF the city's fuel problem has
yeeh dlttlcuty in moving coal across
M sae North River after its arrival at
i sew Jersey terminals, this supply OF
eoarges was accepted as another cause
ior thanksgiving
:, mat there will be ample fuel -
"sep the barges busy this morning was
e;slaent from additional figures show
NY that many cars of coal were on
sulngs ,gs IN Jersey City awaiting oppor-
suhltles to be unloaded into the rail-
'oads' giant pockets to-day.
Vn these sidings, according to the
i,ailroad figures, were 2,419 cars, carry
ing total of 120,950 tons of anthra-
W.. li.e coal. One thousand more cars of
o'.umlnous hold $4,000 tons of fuel. or
4; grand total of 170,950 tons of both
Sa,! Sinas Of coal that will be available for
ue"Sery Tor all purposes to-day.
harbor Navigation Still Difficult
h."I tSe noes still made navigation in the
"s "srDor perilous job and. in the case
s;h;;ame some klnds of shipping, an impos-
,.'.i'ty; Numerous ships that arrived
el,a; h me lower harbor during the day. in
rosg ruuihg one British auxiliary cruiser,
ere "vfe compelled to anchor there be-
,Sute %ase OF the large quantities of ice
Slips. ~ 4io''' manning '"e''
"a fleet of tugs was sent out in the
cr.sInoon cros to endeavor to break up "A
1,eat noe more than two hundred feet
jESns that is blocking the opening to
aaas' aaI,'e Basin and the Bush Terminal
M"a. nv.As' Mild weather, it was explained,
h" huSe remain several days before it
as ass marked effect upon such enemies
VI navigation.
hnetlng Chief Inspector John O'Brien,
mau.d rn" mad charge of the Police Depart
ton om's search for coal and its distribu-
fbn dlter final collection, was clated at
int ;u, showing made by the bluecoats dur
th.;Ihe me people have been wonderful in
scsrs srs generosity" he said. zone could
smsI, imagine the poor dividing their
10 c;,,s sapplles of precious fuel in order
sve ~ TO some stranger whose needs