The New York Times/1918/11/11/Hylan Writes to Garfield
HYLAN WRITES TO GARFIELD
Says His Duty as Mayor is to Know Where City's Coal is.
Mayor Hylan sent a letter yesterday to United States Fuel Administrator Dr. H. A. Garfield explaining why he had ordered the Police Department to make a census of the coal supply of the city and denying that it had been asked for or was being done in the interest of the Fuel Administration. The Mayor assured Dr. Garfield that there would be no investigation made for the Fuel Administration unless it was so requested. The Mayor stated that on Oct. 3 he had requested Police Commissioned Enright to make the census, and, after quoting his letter, said:
"This investigation is made for the purpose of having an inventory of the coal supply in the City of New York, so that those who have an excess supply could be appealed to, to help the less fortunate who might be without coal, as hundres of people were last Winter, resulting in great suffering and distress. Request has been made upon the Fuel Administration authorities in this city as to the amount of coal on hand here, and their response has been that there is no man or body in this city who has in his or their possession the information above requested.
"I note by the the press that you have allowed another increase in the price of coal of 95 cents per ton because of the increase in the wages of miners, which, if report is correct, amounts to about 50 cents per week. The people who were unable to secure coal where they had complied with all the requirements of the Fuel Administration months ago must now pay 95 cents more per ton. This will take millions out of the pockests of the poor people of this city.
"The people look to me as Mayor to be sufficiently interested in their welfare to be prepared in the case of an emergency to assist them. Unless I know the actual conditions, I will not be in a position to advise or help them. It is my plain duty to the people of this city to guard and protect their interests, as far s it lies within my power, and I cannot see what objection there is to the Mayor knowing the actual conditions of the coal supply in this city. There is no intention on my part to in any way embarrass or interfere with the Fuel Administration work in this city."