Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-11-02
pUBLIC SERVICE AND FUEL

- ono noint in connection with all this agitation over fuel
and early closing that, as far a s W e are aware a % pe0n Oue
ont and has never been explained. We r oil ID rer'H A""o', %
!. o;tv l. short Of coal and the early closing of the stores was oroereu
- AZ lorol fuel administrator in order to conserve the supply. Du'
d,rino the mild weather of the past few weeks we doubt II there "a
been a pound of coal burned anywhere for heaung purposes '"
doubt if there is a store in the city that has had a IRE III us un"
dnos Tho carly closing order went into effect. What was to be gained
then bv the arbitrary order closing up Perth Amboy when every otner
place all about was openf Apparently, the only thing saved IN nc
a Of fuel was the coal supply at the Public Service power mousse
for II Is evident that at no other place a III peAhs u'ou'
the merchants are concerned.
:" New 4, Ia natural to suppose that the Public Service has con.
tracted for its coal in bulk; that Its power house here is no worseo ~
So- fuel than its power house at Newark, Marion or any other place
:. luei nanoro+so eectrictv for lighting purposes. Surely, If the
,owsr bonses that supply Newark, Elizabeth, Jersey City and New
brunswick are able to get a sufficient supply IL coal s. a 70 maxi ~
unnecessery for the merchants Of those cities to close early four nights
= week the Public Service ought to have a sufficient supply of coal at
the power house here, located, as It is, right In the midst Il one OF te
greatest coal shipping centers on the Atiantc coast I" supply N'a
Merchants.
Has anyone heard of the Public Service expressing alarm over
rrdty OF fuel at Its Perth Amboy plant alonef If there lis a great
Gage in the Public Service supply Is it not natural to suppose tat
slants at Newark and other upstate points would be even more
w affected than the plant heref
the Public Service is not pressed for coal at the present time,
why the early closing order in Perth Amboyf Nowhere else except
ing at the power house, is coal being burned as far as the merchants
are concerned.
We dom It expect the local fuel administrator to answer this ques-
ton. In fact. we can almost guess what his answer would be; he would
say It was none of our business; he would call us unpatriotic for even
suggesting such a question and would probably follow it up with a 1T
Of course. coal should not be wasted and there should be conser-
walton In every way possible. We believe the business houses could
greatly curtai their lighting and still do business, and this they are
willing to do. But to be closed altogether on the arbitrary ruling OF
one man when other places getting their current for lighting from the
same source ar open, is a discrimination that local merchants have a
right to have explained to them.
Further parleying with the local administrator is out of the ques-
-tion. We have had enough insults and abuse. Ism it about time for
a delegation of representative citizens to wait upon the state fuel adj
ministrator, or the federal fuel administrator, if necessary, to learn
the factsf Perth Amboy wants to do what is right and will close, If
necessary, every night in the week. But when no fuel is being burned
in the stores and the only place affected is the Public Service 'ower
house which is supplying other places without such curtailmens Is Is
arPefn Amboy has a right to demand an explanation.