The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-02-12
LINE AT OFFICE
OF FUEL BID. is
PUBLIC DISGRACE

Branding the existence of Bridge
ports coal line as a disgrace, and
outlining his conference with Coal Ad-
ministrator Carl Siemon on the sub
ject, Justice George w. Wheeler
head of the Bridgeport War Board to-
day issued a public statement IN
which he announces his Intention OF
going over Mr.. Siemon's head to the
state fuel administrator to have the
line abolished.
Justice Wheeler suggests that the
Fairfield County Court House on Gold
en- Hill street may be used as a
branch fuel Office so that people wait
ing in line will be afforded shelter.
His statement follows:
'@This long coal line extending out
to and into Main street, seems to me
a disgrace to our community. In the
line were women and children stand
ing in many instances for hours in the
| cold 1 spoke to Fuel Administra-
tor Siemon of this and said I thought
it ought to be stopped and that the
officials at the court house would per-
nit him to use the corridors on the
first floor where several hundred
could be accommodated; that he
| could still maintain his offices in The
| Stratfeld, have the police send all
| who could not get inside The STRAIT
field building to the court house and
have his clerks take the orders in the
court house and transmit them to his
main office.
'In this way all in the line would
| be under cover and in the warm
| building. The only objection that was
| offered was that in some cases ME-.
Sheehan, his assistant, had to pass
upon the requests for coal. I said
that in that case, these cases could be
sent back from the court house to
Mr.. Sheehan's office. I said that 1
thought we could get additional
clerks for him. OF course there
unteers for this purpose. saw
County Commissioner Ballard and he
very readily for the County Commits
sioners, gave the use of the court
house for this purpose. Supt. Chad
wick said he would do all he, could
to take care of coal line in the court
| houM. reported this to Mr.. Sic
mon. I could get no definite reply
from him.
"I went to the mayor, Saturday
morning, found that he with the
Manufacturers Association had just
had a meeting with Mr.. Siemon and
it had been proposed to him to have
an administration of the Coal De-
| 10 hot re ha
| Department. The mayor approved
of the plan of using the court house.
T anticipated the matter would be dis
posed of before Monday, but while I
was at breakfast, an indignant citizen
telephoned me that the coal line ex-
! tended out to Main street. at once
| called up Mr.. Siemon and told him
of this fact and asked if he would
not use the court house. He replied
| that he would not. There were plen-
ty of ways of avoiding the long coal
line standing out in unreasonable
weather, and we were all at fault
in not earlier insisting that it be stop
ped.
"As a result of the protest of our
citizens and of our agitation, I'M
| doubtedly Mr.. Siemon will be forced
to make a change. He has Informed
me that there would be no use in ap-
pealing to the State Fuel Administra-
tor, but I think it my duty to &C
quaint him as we'll as the State Coun-
Gil of Defense, with Mr.. Siemon's at
titude in this matter. Then the re
sponsibility will be theirs and not
| mine"