Evening star., 1946-02-10
New York BUILDINGS
Face Seizure as Fuel
Famine Peri|s Health
py the Associated Press.

Py the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Feb. 9-The Board
of Health today ordered the seizure
of any building in New York neces-
sary for use as hospital in a move
to meet what it said was "a state
of great, imminent and increasing
peril to the health of the city's
millions.
The action came as persons seek
ing priorities to purchase fuel oil
cut off from the city by the six
day-old tugboat strike, thronged
police headquarters where an emer-
gency ration board began opera
tions at noon.
Rigid rationing of existing stock
piles of fuel oil was ordered by
Mayor William O'Dwyer to avoid
what he called possible epidemic
OF respiratory illness and disease.
Board of Health members said
that if the fuel shortage were not
relieved, there would be "discom-
fort, distress and suffering and an
increase in illness and deaths, par
ticularly among infants, the infirm
and the aged"
Dimout Adds to Danger.
insufficient light - the city was
Drowned out" Wednesday when
MIR. O'Dwyer declared state OF
emergency and disruption OF
transportation because of lack OF
fuel might result in civil disorder
adding further danger to life and
health, the board members said.
The city's Government-seize
fleet OF 400 tugboats lay idle for
the sixth day despite the Mayors
call on the Office of Defense Trans
portation to man them immediate
ly regardless of consequences"
Forty-four Government tugs la
bored to bring emergency supplies
by barge from New Jersey termi-
mails during the day. An ODT
spokesman said seven additional
Navy tugs arrived from Boston,
Philadelphia and Norfolk, Va.
Police Speed Deliveries.
Squads of police and city fuel in
spectors were stationed at bridges,
tunnels and ferries to divert incom-
ing oil trucks to top priority con-
sumers.
Only users Of heavy fuel oils were
required to get certificates of de-
livery from the ration board at po-
lice headquarters or at any of the
city's 81 police stations, Albert Pley-
dell, city fuel administrator, said ir
broadcast. Light fuel consumers
could replenish supplies from deal
ers without certificates, he added.
Later Mr.. ODwyer said: IT have
urged arbitration upon the (union)
committees and it seemed favorably
accepted.
THE committee win discuss the
matter tomorrow and sometime to-
morrow evening 1t is hoped they will
meet again at City Hall"
Commercial Tugs Idle.
Not one commercial tug has left
its mooring in the four days since
the Government stepped in to ope-
rate them. They were tied up last
Monday when $500 tugboatmen
struck for higher wages and shorter
hours.
Twice since the strikers have
voted not to return to work. The
city was put into a state of emer-
gency by Mayor ODwyer last Wed
nesday on the strength of the first
refusal The rationing of fuel oils
resulted from the second refusal
yesterday.
Mr.. Pleydell said rationing oi
coal would be necessary unless the
situation improved by Monday.
Low Hospital Supplies.
Mayor O'Dwyer said hundreds oi
apartment houses, private dwellings
and public buildings were without
fuel today and hospitals were low
on supplies. Greatest sufferers from
the lack of fuel, he said, were resi-.
dents of cold water flats who de.
pend on kerosene for heat. Delivery
OF fuel to places of amusement was
banned by the mayor.
The city's schools were closed
some public buildings were shut
down and the mayor suggested that
business concerns close if their oil
supplies would not last a week.