The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-11-04
], S. AGENTS HUNTING
boarded COAL HERE
Palmer Issues order, Suspect
ing Spectators of Hold
ing Stocks.
RAIL SERVICE CURTAILED
Marshall Answers Attorney
General-GOod Fuel Supply
in Dwellings.
RAIL SERVICE CURTAILED

Denartment of Justice officers here |
received orders from Attorney-Ge
Mitchell Palmer yesterday to insti- |
tute an immediate hunt for coal that |
NAV be boarded by SPECTATORS in and,
about New York city.
with these orders. which were trans
mitted to Joseph Baker. head OF the To-
cal Bureau of Investigation. came Of
fetal communications for Francis G.
caffey and Leroy w. Ross of Brooklyn.
United States Attorneys, directing them
To ascertain whether there is evidence of
collision between dealers to boost
prices Federal authorities here said
that all available operatives will be as
signed to this work and that evidence,
II found, will be presented qpickly to the
Federal Grand Juries.
George Winship Taylor, one of Mr..
Cefreys assistants, issued a general
warning that told of the restoration I'M
der Presidential proclamation. of the
fair prices established by the United
States Food and Fuel Administration
during the war. He added that prof.
iteers would be summarily punished.
Although the cutting of railway SER
vice for the purpose of conserving avail
able fuel began yesterday on many lines,
in accordance with announcements made
previously, it was said authoritatively
last night that the passenger schedules
on New England railroads would escape
immediate reduction. The decision was
reached at a meeting in Boston of Fed
eral managers and operating executives,
who announced also that there would
be no general curtailment of freight SER
vice in New England and that plan
e..
Of deliveries to commercial consumers of
bituminous coal. Commercial consumers
requiring bituminous coal already con-
signed to them for immediate necessities
must make application direct to the de-
lvering railroad. giving the amount of
coal required and reason for preference.
Anxiety over Small Supplies.
Much anxiety was evident yesterday
among individuals and of officers of
companies lest their stocks become de-
pleted before the termination of the
strike, and efforts to increase supplies
were exerted in many quarters.
w. A. Marshall. president of the
Wholesale Coal Trade Association, is
sued statement after a meeting OF the
organization. declaring that there Is an
average supply of sixty days on hand.
and that the majority of consumers have
months. A few, he said. are In a bad
plight because their storage facilities are
limited.
ut is our opinion" he said, that the
stocks of bituminous coal now In the
hands of the railroads, the abnormally
large stock OF steam sizes of anthra-
cite, accumulated by reason of lack of
market, and the production of a normal
quantity of non-union coal, which. II
the strike is prolonged. will be greatly
Increased by the influx OF labor from
union districts, will meet the needs OF
that small percentage of consumers
whose present supply is limited"
Mr.. Marshall included these views In
letter which he sent to Attorney Gen
oral Palmer replying to that officials
communication published yesterday
morning. AS Mr.. Palmer had expressed
4mazement at a suggestion made by him
that the dealers be not interfered with
he explained that this suggestion hat
been made before the Federal Govern
ment restored the wartime prices an(
that his purpose had been misconstrued
LAW Puzzles Jersey City.
Residents of Jersey City are perplexeC
as to the effect of an ordinance pro
hibiting the use of soft coal there. a
shortage of anthracite is threatened be
cause of inability to arrange its importa
ton. II Is expected that the city bal
will be lifted pending the emergency. F
J. Donohue, superintendent Of the Pub
lie Service Corporation. declared tina
there was no likelihood of the New Jer
sey trolley systems shutting down. q
their supply is sufficient to last consid
erably longer.
Word was received here that 500 car
loaded with bituminous coal had bee
seized at Syracuse by order OF the fue
authorities and that any more ship
ments arriving there would be take
over by similar order Syracuse. It wa
said will be the point OF distribution 70
central New York If the strike is pro
longed.
Several New England States took &C
ton to protect public interest, and tn
State Commission on Necessaries of LII
Of Massachusetts, instructed dealers I
make deliveries of bituminous coal onl
for immediate consumption.
Amedee ]. Casey, editor of the Amer
can Coal Journal. said last night he ha
been informed that apartment house
and homes of the Greater New Yor
district have about go per cent of thei
normal supply in their cellars. This
an unusually good showing for this tim
Of the year" he said. with big offic
buildings and plants the situation Is nc
50 favorable, but there is nothing /
particular to worry about at this time.