New-York tribune., 1920-02-06
City Appeals to U. S. to
Stop Confiscation of
Fuel Shipments Here
by Rail Administration
Electric and Gas
Supply Menaced
Traction Service Is Cut
in Hope of Relief;
Mayor Blames Nixon

Complete paralysis of every avenue
Of electricdriven travel in New York.
along with the cty's light, gas and
power plants, will occur some time to-
morrow unless thousands of tons of
fuel arc rushed in the mean time to
the empty coal bins of Manhattan.
Apparently nothing short of mirac-
ulous change in the weather and un-
preccdented activity on the part of
Federal officials can bring about the re-
quired relief. transportation experts
insist that it will take weather such as
has not been seen Here in days and
more favorable action than the railroad
administration has given since the coal
strike to furnish coal and cars neces-
sary to set the fuel to its destination.
These facts were brought out yes
terday in the course of more careful
canvass of the coal situation than ever
| before made in New York. Representa-
tives of every coal consuming public
utility in the city met with Public
Service Commissioner Nixon to devise
means of keeping wheels turning while
fuel was being carried to the city.
The immediate result of the confer
cnce was the dispatch of kilograms of
appeal to President Wilson, the rail
road administration and United States
Senators Wadsworth and Calder. A
letter in which the urgency of the stu
alton was set forth was forwarded to
Mayor Hylan, with the request that he
use his influence to prevent further
conrscation of fuel being sent to such
utility corporations.
Coal Enough for One More Day
The main points brought out by re-
ports OF the power men who attended
the conference we're:
That the average supply of fuel on
hand for all public service purposes
was sufficient for two days, at noon
yesterday.
That the railroad administration has
been confisca ting and diverting coal
bound tor New York in cars plainly
marked "For Public Service Use," in
spite OF numerous protests.
That conditions in the harbor are
such that the emergency supplies Of
coal that might be brought from
Hampton Roads, or even from Staten
Island, probably cannot be brought
to the city in time to be of value in
the present emergency
That even where cars have been
found coal is so completely frozen
that it cannot be moved without long
delays and expensive handling.
Mr. Nixon said last night that the
crisis is the most serious in the his
tory OF the city. Whether or not all
transportation service is shut down, the
Commissioner said it would be neces-
sary to curtai service on subway, sur
face and elevated lines. Moreover, he
urged that the public observe all pos
slble economies in the use of gas and
electric light and power.
Seizure Of Fuel Protested.
The continued seizure Of New York
bound coal by the railroad administra-
tion was the subject Of the most de-
termined protest on the part of those
who took part in the conference. 1t
was shown that OF 300 cars OF fuel
consigned to the Brooklyn Edison Com
pany, all of which was marked with
placards Identifying them as public
service property, only four actually ar
rived at their destination. Twenty
three cars consigned to the company
at Port Reading, N. j., have just been
reported confiscated by the railroad ad-
ministration.
T'e!egrams sent by Mr. Nixon to the
President and to New York's two SEN
ators, read as follows:
Goal shortage among public uti-
~ities Of New York City is alarming.
The two great transportation COM
panies Of the city, namely, the In
terboro2gh Rapid Transit and the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit companies
are down to two-days supply.
must curtail service unless they get
more coal. 4 shutdown in the pres
ent severe weather would DE public
calamity and this commission is do
ing everything possible to avert it,
THE utilities say that large
amounts of coal consigned to them
and plainly marked for public util-
ity use, have been requisitioned by
the railroad administration and kept
from coming to New York, causing
the present shortage.
strongly urge that the seizure of
public utility coal by the railroad
administration be suspended and
that every effort be exerted to rush
coal supplies to this city"
Appeal to Mayor Hylan
The letter sent to the Mayor said ::
81 beg to inc1ose herewith a general
statement of the coal situation as af-
fccting public utilities in this city.
"The situation has become acute on
account of the winter conditions now
holding. Every effort will be made by
t;:ls commission to continue service by
all these public utilities. Some of them,
you will note, face an almost mediate
shutdown, and have instructed the
commissions engineers to work in CO.
operation with these companies and cur
tail service wherever possible.
"While coal has been ordered and
large quantities shipped, and the public
utility companies requested to mark
their coal so that there will be no doubt
as to it's needs by the city, the railroad
administration has not hesitated to
seize cars en- route for this city. This
matter is being taken up and such pro-
tests as we can lodge are being made
| against continuance of this practice
"However condition faces us re-
quiring drastic steps. 1t would be read
! lily understood that certain savings can
be made in the operation of the transit