New-York tribune., 1922-06-21
Coal Shortage
Threatens New
Tie-Up on I.R.T.
System To Be on Thin Ice"
for Week or More, Hcdley
Says, Blaming Failure Of
Monday to Poor Supply
Big Power Units Crippled
Transit Expert Finds Fuel
Inferior and Equipment
of Stations insufficient

Lack OF adequate reserve electric
power and first class cosl-ihe latter
due in large part TO the strike we're
the main contributing causes 20 the
forty-minute shutdown on the Second
and Third Avenue elevated lines and
n slowing down OF service on the sub.
way local lines Monday night. an in
quiry into which was made By the
Transit Commission yesterday
Frank Hedley. president Of the In
terborough. called ht the cfiees Of the
Transit Commission 10 explain 70
Chairman MeAneny the causes Of the
temporary failure Of service during
part Of the rush hour period, from SOL
10 6:I ?. m.
The direct cause Of the partial col
lapse was that three power producing
units OF 10000 X. W. each were out
OF commission temporarily on Monday
afternoon. Two Of the units are un-
dergoing repairs.
Danger TO Continue
After the conference with Nr. Me
Aneny Mr. Hedley said that his com
psny would be or thin ice 50 far as
coal stocks and power were concerned
for the next week or so. hr. heAlcy
admitted iha. mos; OF the soft coal
the ln,erborough was getting ~ me
open market came from the Pen7syi
yania aelds rather than West virginia.
where grading standards have pro
dueed uniformly higher quality
spot coal" purchases by the inter
borough amounted % so 600 tons IN the
last ninety days. Mr. Hedley said. Inc
Int.rborough chief said tho sirikc was
in part responsible, and aedec inai me
contractors did not seem 20 ne maAlng
any extra efforts 20 meet the ccma manes
A occurrence OF tho shutdown Of the
line, because o. fuel and mechanical
troubles was possible, but ne aia ho'
expect H.
II. y. La,ey. engineer of equipment
and operation OF the Transit Iomm's
sion. in his report yesierday sa.p
tina. the lnierborough would naYc 'o
dcncnd for the next t~o "eeN on
emergency equipment AZ the seNen,S
fourth Street power station penang
repair. 20 two big generators.
The direct cause OF the snu'ao"n'
said Mr. IAtey. was the failure OF 2
10000 X. ~. unit ~ inc StFcHts
Street power station. due 20 a shoI'
circuit on the collector rings ~hich
occurred ct 1920 p m. Al the time OF
the accident one Of the 10000 H.
units az Seventy-fourih street was
out OF service for inspection and re-
pairs and another similar unit IN riity'
ninth Street was out Of service on nc.
eoun. OF reconstruction being carried
on by the General Electric Company
The failure Of the second unit in Sew
er,y-four,h Street. therefore, elm
mated 10000 H. w. from the power IA
eilitie. ordinarily available. This con
dition neeessitated the operation OF
some Of the old engine units. which
were Immediately prepared for service
together with the necessary boilers 10
supply the steam required for the OPP
Grafton Of these units. which require
more steam for the same amount Of
pover than the larger turbine units.
Lack Of steam Fatal
"In order 10 relieve the situation as
much as possible two sub-stations Of
The New York Railways Company we're
A. once transferred from Seventy