File:Valentine's manual of old New York (1919) (14781918705).jpg

Identifier: valentinesmanual15brow (find matches)
Title: Valentine's manual of old New York
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Brown, Henry Collins, 1862-1961
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Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Valentine's Manual Inc.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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mately overcome the enemies inthe field. Heatless Days and the Coal FamineThe coal famine was one that came very close to usall. There was scarcely a family that did not suffer andmany, both rich and poor, were obliged to use one or tworooms of their home as living apartments which could bekept moderately warm by the use of oil stoves. Ofcourse oil was scarce too and had to be used with care.Coal dealers had a constant stream of people trying tobuy even a little portion of the precious mineral, and anyday one could hear entreaties for the babies and the oldand sick. These of course were cared for first. Oc-casionally some coal yard would offer what little theycould obtain to the poor in small quantities, and a longline would form to get 50 or 100 pounds and carry ithome in boys sleds or baby carriages or in bags. Per-haps the most memorable thing of all was the visit of thepoliceman to examine your stock of coal and see if youcould spare any for those who needed it most. The re- (278)
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cc OF OLD NEW YORK suit was to show that the famine had reached almostevery home. This condition was largely the result of underproduc-tion to which was added an unprecedented ice jam in theNorth River stopping delivery from the mines completely.This seemed the acme of discomfort and suffering, butas if to show that we could endure still further miserythe Government suddenly ordered the cessation of allbusiness activities requiring the use of coal. Office build-ings, theatres, public institutions and to a very great ex-tent apartment houses and homes were compelled to existwithout heat. These Heatless Days will long be remem-bered. Nothing in modern experience had ever happenedlike it before and the discomfort experienced by NewYorkers was something better imagined than described.After a few cruel Heatless Days the Government addedthe last straw by compelling a general shut down of allactivities for a period of ten days. With Heatless andWorkless Days the town shivered and suffered. A

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