New-York tribune., 1919-12-12
Abuses Seen in Use of
Hard Coal in Many
Plants and Pow e r
May Be S hut Off
Big Stores Eager
To Help in Crisis
Normal Supply Will Not
BE Restored for Three
Weeks, Experts Believe

Strict conservation of fuel probably
will be required here during the restora-
ton of the country's coal supply to
the normal, Public Service Commits
sioner Lewis Nixon, who is also Fuel
Administrator for the city by appoint
ment Of Governor Smith, declared yes
terday.
Mr.. Nixon intimated that Broadway
will be dark and the other drastic con-
servation measures effective while the
fuel production losses incurred in the
strike are made up.
Everything in Mr.. Nixon's discus
sons with manufacturers, department
store heads and others interested in
the coal situation indicated he has nc
intention of relaxing his efforts to
have the conservation regulations
cbcyed. He pointedly reminded some
inquirers who we're hard to convince
that the Lever act would be brought
ii to play to support the order.
Convictions obtained for violating
tkis act are punishable by a fine OF
$1,000 Or Imprisonment for two years
or both
New Restriction Planned
Disregard of the regulations by users
of bituminous coal because of theil
fear of losing ground in competition
with users of anthracite coal in tn,
same lire Of business might result il
/. strctiCns on the consumption Of an
thrac.te. Mr. Nixon said.
Violators will not be permitted tt
repeat their otfenses, Mr.. Nixon said
Their current will be shut off.
MANY of the rules have been openly
dsrega rded," Mr. Nixon said. dis
cussng violations "if, after careful
investig cation, it is found that disrega rd
of orders from Washington is delb-
crate their current will be turned off
for a time. and with further violation
indictments will be asked against them
1T is to be hoped that resentment on
the part of bituminous product users
that rules bear unduly hard upon them
will not cause them to evade compll-
ance. If such conditions multiply my
only course will be to report to Wash
ington that to secure the necessary
conservation of btuminous coal it
would be necessary to apply similar
restrictions to the users of the prod
ucts in the way of light, power and
heat of anthracite coal.
This would be a calamity for the
city.
lowing to the fact that this is an
anthracite city in general we have
after careful study of resources, been
able to greatly favor this community
The ending Of the strike brings us
only nearer to the time when reserves
shall be restored and unlimited use of
fuel can be resumed"
In outlining the reasons for con-
tinued conservation here despite the
ending of the strike, Mr. Nixon said
that it would take at least ten days or
two weeks for the miners once again
to get into the swing of their
work. Teams must be organized
again, he declared and a certain stiff
ness must be ironed out. The coal
must be brought to the surface to re-
place the piles which have disappeared
while production was at a standstill.
The resumption of normal circulation
Of coal cars will require from two to
three weeks.
Keep on Saving. Is Warning
while the coal situation is being
brought back to where it was at the
outset of the strike" Mr.. Nixon said
1--WE must practice strict conserva ton. "
He said he was pleased with the way
the order had been followed out in
general, but that a few violations had
been detected. Owing to the confu-
sion in the Interpretation of some Of
the regulations it is expected no steps
against violators will be taken for the
present
That conservation must be practiceC
for several weeks was also the opinion
of NJ. II. Aylesworth, operating man
ager of the National Electric Light
Association He has just completed
a survey of the situation. Public util-
tiles throughout the country, Mr.
Aylcsworth said. had large coal sur
puses and were able to meet the
crisis, but numerous smaller plants
were on the verge of closing when the
strike ended.
If the strike had not been settled,
he said, "it would have been a nationa
calamity. 1t is not pleasant to contem-
plate a whole nation in darkness, but
the fact is that while some portions
of the United States were more for
tunate than others during the crisis
due to water-power development, mos'
communities were dependent on Goa
for their supply of electricity for light
ing and power"
The proper routing of coal cars will
require two or three weeks at least
w A. Marshall, president of the New
York State Wholesale Coal Trade AS
sociation, said last night. He declared
that until these cars were started or
their coal delivering rounds the situa-
tion would not be restored to normal !
If the workers are returning to work
in earnest, he said. actual production
of coal can commence Monday
He did not share the general belief