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November 9, 1918 RECORD AND GUIDE 541 Gets New Ruling on Building Construction Chairman McDonald of Mayor's Committee on National Defense Defines Latest Restrictions GEORGE McDonald, chairman of the 'special committee on construction and buildings of the Mayor's Committee on National Defence, has announced that hereafter all applications for licenses to build, under the War Industries Board ruling on non- essential work must file affidavits on new forms which are available at the committee's headquarters, in the Hall of Records. Chairman McDonald also announced the receipt of four permits from the War Industries Board, the first granted for non-essential construction among those sent by the committee to Washington with recom- mendations for approval. The estate of Robert Hoe Company was given license to repair the fire-damaged building at 13-15 West 28th street; the Sage Foundation Company, to complete residences and a hotel at Forest Hills ; James A. Hearn & Co., to build two elevators to eliminate danger of accidents from overcrowded facili- ties to patrons of their store, and the Catholic Church of St. Matthias, to finish an 80 per cent. completed church in Ridgewood, Queens. The committee received a new ruling from the War Industries Board to the effect that construction of all hospitals, barracks, etc, planned by the American Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., Knights of Columbus, and other organizations recognized by the Government as en- gaged in war work, niust be referred to the Facilities Division of the War Industries Board. -----------. The hearing of the committee yesterday, directed by George H. Benjamin, as chairman, vvith Judge Warren W. Foster, as assistant, included applications from Clara Sulzer, wife of former Governor Sulzer, who desires to renew plumbing in an old building at 116 Washington Place; Darwin P. Kingsley, who wishes to provide heat for certain sections of the dwelling 52 East 68th street, and from Frederick H. Ecker, representing the Metro- politan Life Tnsurance Company, which desires to alter a section of the sixth floor of its building at a cost of $37,500, to provide additional facilities for the Metro- politan Bank. No Cancellation of War Contracts Yet Made WASHINGTON, November 8.—On the authority of the highest officials of the War Industries Board, the statement was today authorized that there have been no cancellations of war contracts by any purchasing agency of the Government due either to the imminence of an armistice oiîpeace. Certain cancellations of contracts have been made as a result of the balancing of the contracts in accord- ance with military requirements, as has been the uni- form practice heretofore. On the other hand, the War Industries Board and the purchasing divisions, of the Government have been in consultation for some days on a plan to guard against industrial dislocation during the transiíion period between war and peace. An of- ficial statement of the progress made on this subject will be forthcoming in a day or two at the latest. Such contracts as are now being cancelled in the balancing of orders are subject to the usual form of adjustment be- tween the Government and the contractor in which the latter is guaranteed full protection. The policy now being defined to cover the transition period, it is of- ficially stated, will provide with equal care for the safety of business which has so patriotically responded to the needsof the Government in the emergency of war. Speaking for the purchase division of the War De- partment, one of the largest buying agencies of the Government, Gerard Swo])e, assistant chief of the div- ision, to-day confirmed the statement of the War In- dustries Board that there has been no cancellation of war contracts outside of the usual routine, and that the War Department, like all others, awaits the decision of the 'War Industries Board, with which it is in con- sultation on a comprehensive and fixed policy, which all alike will follow. Rumors of all kinds relative to the Government's policy are in circulation and are coming into Washington for confirmation or denial. This statement of the officials is the first authoritative ansvver yet made. Mayor and Fuel Administration at Odds FEDERAL FUEL ADMINISTRATOR GARFIELD sent Mayor Hylan a telegram Wednesday in which he requested that the police activity in the coal matter be discontinued and that the Mayor prevent "further interference" with the orderly distribution of coal. In an accompanying statement Dr. Garfield said that no request for a survey had been made by the Fed- eral authorities, and that when the subject was dis- cussed by Mayor Hylan and State Fuel Administrator Delos W. Cooke a few days ago the plan had been abandoned. In his telegram to the Mayor Dr. Garfield said: "I must insist that Greater New York authority be not permitted to interfere with the action of the United States Fuel Adminisration." The Police Department went ahead in its wprk of making the coal survey regardless of Federal Fuel Ad- ministrator Garfield's demand that such a survey be not made. Anthracite output during the week ended Oct. 26 is esti- mated at 1,714,000 net tons, vvhich is exactly the same ton- nage produced during the week ended Oct. 19, but 339,000 net tons below the outptit of the correspoiĸling week of 1917. The increase in wages vvhich went into eff'ect in the anthracite mines on Nov. 1 will undoubtedly bring back many of the mine workers who left for other industries because of higher wages. With added nian power and no epidemic to contend against, an improvcnient in output can be e.xpected shortly. While thcre exists a scarcity of the domcstic sizcs of an- thracite, there is an abundance of the small coals available. In some instances shippers are reducing their prices in or- der to dispose of their stocks of rice and smaller coals. Household consumers who have not as yet received their quota of hard would do well to look into the possibility of utilizing these small sizes, as it has been demonstrated that they can be successfully burned in household furnaces. New York, Nov. 5, 1918. líditor Record and Guide: On August 1 there was a fire opposite the premises, 129-131 Crosby Street, New York City, which are owned by me, and the debris from the building has ])iled up in the strect, two stories high, thereby closing the street and preventing me from using the elevator in the building. I have madc many attempts to the various departments, without any jurisdiction, or have they not the means to open this street, or cart away the rubbish? If you could send one of your staff to see the con- (lition, he will be amazed that in this city anything hke this could occur; to have a street closed for over thrce months and preventing me from rcnting the pi cmises or having proper access. I hope you will take this matter up, as I cannot get anv redress in anv direction. (Signed) ' LP^O SCHLESINGER. Thc Williamsburgh, Manhattan and Rrooklyn bridges .irc said to be the longest suspension bridgcs in the vvorld.