The New York herald., 1922-08-02
Outerbridge Committee May
Enforce Drastic Emergency
Regulations.
SOME SHIPPERS WORRIED
Think Hoover's Bunker Order
Should Be Modified for
Certain Ports.

The work Of conserving New YORK;
coal supply and the elimination Of ua-|
necessary consumption of coal here hy|
manufacturing or public utility corporal
tions was started yesterday when tneI
New York State Emergency Coal Conn.,
mittee, OF which E. II. Outerbridge.
chairman OF the Port of New York
Authority. is head, began its investiga-
tions relative to the supply and consump-'
tion here. Every effort will be made to
prune the consumption OF coal to an
emergency minimum and sweeping regu-
lations may be enforced.
The emergency committee conferred
at the Bankers Club. The committee
is composed Of Gen. Lincoln c. Andrews,
Major Eihu c. Church. William A.
Prendergast, lie Roy T. Hardness and
J. w. Leib. Several coal men offered
figures on coal consumption. Confer-(
ences. are to be held daily until fnaI
plans are completed.
The committee Is considering callingj
into action the organization which was|
built under the direction OF the Port
Authority last October when the possi-I
bility of a railroad strike was in view.
The Bunker situation.
The marine end Of the fuel conserya-
tion program is being taken care Of un-
der the direction of the committee ap-
pointed by the United States Shipping,
Board. Shipping men. discussing theI
order OF Secretary OF Commerce Hoover)
that the ships bunker In foreign ports.I
said that the order must be modified |
Several of the big coal dealers whoI
serve the ships with bunker coal sup-f
ported the assertion Of shipping meny
that. the order makes no provision fors
the ships coming here from ports where
there Is little bunker coal available
For instance, they say a ship coming
from Rio de Janeiro, where the bunker
coal is scarce and is all imported. would
have merely enough coal TO make tho
trip to this port.
Although more than IS per cent Of
the American freight and passenger
ships are oil burners, most foreign ship
ping depends solely on coal. Rates for
bunker coal have gone so high in this
country. especially at Hampton Roads.
that the ships have been tied up in many
cases, and other ships are coaling for
the round trip in European ports rat'er
than attempt to make trip here and
depend upon getting American coal
American ships will probably coal di-
rect from the British ships, which are
bringing 100000 tons OF imported coal
here inside of the next month. 1t was
pointed out that although thte Govern
mont is able to order conservation OF
American bunker coal 1t cannot say
what shall be done with the coal which
is imported by shipping or industrial
concern.
Allowance for the ships coming from
a non-coaling port or port where coal
is so scarce as to prohibit coaling be-
cause of the high rates was made by
the British Government during the war
embargo on coal, several of the coal and
shipping men pointed out. and said that
Mr.. Hoover will have to make similar
allowance.
slight Front Left.
According to quotations of bunker coal
the average price of btumlnous coal is
about $6.44 per ton. The price Of the
bituminous coal of the West Virginia
Pocahontas or New River coal and
known as the Hoover price, Is fixed at
$o.OV per net uOU ~ TIE fliHfSs iHo
freight rate from the mines to Hampton
coupled with the handling and other
charges leaves slight profit for the
operator at the price OF $6.t4. which In
being quoted.
Virtually the only coal available for
consumption by the ports and steam
ships making ports along the Atlantic
coast Is the bituminous brought here
from Pennsylvania. West Virginia and
Alabama The fields OF the latter two
States have been in such condition that
the transportating of coal from them
to the seaboard has been under the ut
most difficulty and in some places at a
standstill due to the activity OF the rail-
road strikers coupled with the striking
miners. The normal output of the coal
fields was placed by one of the best
known coal dealers at about 100000
tons a week. When the coal strike
started In April the production fell off
to approximately 3.50o.0 tons. As tho
operators gradually found labor to re-
place their striking men and we're able
to get the coal out from the mines the
production increased gradually to about
5.5oo,OC0. Just when the production was
creeping higher than that figure the
shopmen went out on strike In July
and the production dropped to lower
levels than had been known before.
Gov Edwards yesterday announced
the personnel OF the New Jersey State
Committee which Is to cooperate with
the Presidents committee for the regu-
lating and allocating OF coal and COM
prises Richard G. Jenkinson of Newark.
William B. Mackay, Jr. of Hackensack.
James West OF Trenton. William p.
Greer OF Plainfield. william ID. Flor
ance of New Brunswick. Raymond
Donges OF Merchantville and Charles
L. Annett of Bayonnc.
The duties of this committee will be
mainly In allocating the coal shipments
within the state and checking any at
tempts at profiteering on the part OF
coal dealers or distributors. A general
advisory committee representing indus
trial and political units viii be named
at a later date.