Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Please note: this text may be incomplete. For more information about this OCR, view About OCR text.

June 15, 1918 RECORD AND GUIDE 757 To Regulate Fuel, Transportation and Labor War Industries Board, Fuel Administration and Railroad Admin¬ istration Unite on Program for Eastern District * PROGRAM to aid in co-ordinating the fuel Z\ transportation and labor problems in the East by regulating the expansion of industries engaged in war work within a restricted area, which includes many of the great manufacturing centers of the New England states, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, was announced this week in a joint statement by the War Industries Board and the fuel and railroad administrations. An official statement issued through the fuel admin¬ istration reads: "The following is authorized by the War Industries Board, the United States Fuel Administration and the United States Railroad Administration: "A pohcy has been adopted and made effective for preventing further increase in the volume of war orders and the number of estabhshments handling them in the area known as the congested manufacturing and transportation district. This district comprises the New England states. Eastern and Southern New York, Pennsylvania as far west as Williamsport and Altoona, all of New Jersey and Delaware and Eastern Mary¬ land, not including Baltimore. "Exceptions to this policy will be made only if un¬ avoidable through inability otherwise to provide for war needs. "The congested district comprises those eastern states in which so large a proportion of war industries is located as to make it difficult to supply all with necessary raw material and fuel. This difficulty obtains because coal for those industries is mined in the terri¬ tory west of the Allegheny Mountains. It must be carried into this congested district by a limited number of railway lines and by ships from Hampton Roads and Baltimore. "The amount of coal, therefore, which can be trans¬ ported into this congested area during any one season is limited and is an entirely separate problem from the production of coal. However much coal is mined in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, only so much is available for this congested district as the railroads and ships can transport into it. "A careful analysis of the possible coal movement shows that the increased industrial activity in those eastern states has created a requirement for coal which exceeds the limit of possible transportation of coal, plus necessary materials for manufacture." Because of the great demand for materials, fuel and labor for the war industries, expansion of the less essential industries was limited some time ago, and curtailment in that direction is being put into effect. The new program will place the Government in posi¬ tion to dictate the activities of plants producing war supplies. The establishment of new industries in the zone may be prohibited. New York City is included in the restricted area. Only the industries in the extreme southern and eastern section of the state are affected. A map will be pub¬ lished soon, giving the boundaries of the entire restricted area in detail. It is stated that industries producing about 90 per cent, of the war supplies are brought within the restrictions made. Statements have been issued on numerous occasions by the fuel administration that radical curtailment was proposed and that many industries must not expect a full allotment of coal. An official announcement shows that the results accomplished were as follows: "Fuel-saving work already done by the Conserva¬ tion Bureau to June 1, 1918: "Clay products and sanitary ware, window glass, boxboard. "Temporary arrangements with automobile industry, brewers, piano manufacturers. "Lightless nights. "Skip-stop (electricity). "Centralization of power plants. "Economy in steam plants. "Economy by domestic consumers." Control in the future of all coal delivery priorities by the War Industries Board was announced yesterday in a joint statement by the Board and the Fuel Administra¬ tion. A new priority list issued with the statement does not differ materially from the list in force since the shutdown order last winter. Preference in deliveries will be given in the following order: Railroads, army and navy, and other departments of. the Government, State, and county departments and institutions, public utilities, retail dealers, manufactur¬ ing plants on the War Industries Board's preference list and those not included on the Board's list. Next Winter's Coal Supply—Just What to Expect (Continued from Page 756) rent coal year as made and now publicly announced by the Anthracite Committee is as follows: The allotment for New York, New Jersey and the New England States of domestic anthracite for all purposes for the current coal year compared with coal year 1916- 1917 is as follows: Maine .......... New Hampshire. Vermont ....... Massachusetts .. Rhode Island.. ., Connecticut .... New York...... New Jersey .... 1916-1917 Allotment Distribution 1918-1919 Increase (Gross Tons) (Gross Tons) 1 PerCt. 556.683 660,000 18.56 314.945 375.000 19.07 316.850 330,000 4.15 5.027.993 5,689.000 13.15 664.008 800,300 20.53 1.952.900 2.476.700 26.82 14.169,809 15,855,300 11.89 4,961,622 5,460,784 10.04 Totals ................. 27,964,810 31,647,084 13.16 The statement adds: "With this statement of the situation and announce¬ ment of the measures which will be pursued to meet it, the Anthracite Committee is conscious that the plan can not be successful under the circumstances—labor shortage, consequent inability to much increase production of an¬ thracite and unusual demands for it—unless there shall be earnest and active cooperation by all concerned. This means by State and local fuel administrations, dealers and consumers, each and all of whom must help to see that anthracite is confined to its most essential uses and that in consumption it shall be conserved and made to go as far as possible. "Otherwise there will be a shortage of anthracite next winter which no human power can then supply. The anthracite industry and this committee can meet the big problem only with general support and cooperation. In other lines of business, in these abnormal times, no one expects to get all he wants and just when he wants it. There is today a shortage of steel, of copper, of rubber, of wheat, of flour, of a hundred and one things. "Anthracite is not an exception, but with due public consideration of the facts surrounding its supply and dis¬ tribution, this committee believes that all actual needs for it can be supplied." The allotment for the whole country follows: 1916-1917 Distribution (Gross Tons) New England States. 8.833,379 Atlantic States....... 27.878.233 Central States....... 5,100,024 Northwest States.... 2,710,188 Trans-Mississippi States ............ 627,965 Twentv-four States... 137,966 Railroad Supply .... 2.481.754 Canada .............. 3,856,021 Miscel. Exports...... 51,930 Army & Navy Camps and Cantonments. Allotment 1918-1919 Increase Decrease (Gross Tons) Per Ct. Per Ct. 10.331.000 16.95 31.417,154 12.69 3,481,945 31.73 2,380,000 12.18 2,481.754 3,602,000 51,930 600,000 100.00 100.00 6.59 51,677,460 54,345,783 5.16