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the property line of Fordham University, and along the 
Bronx Boulevard on the eastern side of the reservation. 
Reference is made in the following chapter as regards fuel 
to the necessity for enlarging coal bins at both power 
houses. We sought to enlarge the bin at power house 1 
during 1917, but were not able to accomplish this; plans 
were prepared and approved. 
Fuel 
The mounting cost of fuel forced the expenditure for coal 
during the first six months of the year of practically the 
entire estimated amount needed for the whole year; to 
meet the additional requirement, the city Board of Esti- 
mate and Apportionment added the sum of $5,095.50 to 
the appropriation for maintenance, and this was wholly 
expended. In December, after the general coal shortage 
of the country began to be acutely realized, the contractors 
concerned found themselves unable to complete all de- 
liveries called for during 1917, and the valuable plant col- 
lections in conservatory range 2 became seriously endan- 
gered, the conditions being aggravated by abnormally low 
temperatures. 
The city had anticipated difficulty in obtaining coal, by 
ordering a supply for January, February, and March, 1918, 
delivered to departments and institutions before the end 
of December, 1917, but each of the two contractors con- 
cerned with us were unable to supply the whole amounts 
called for in several grades. The No. 3 buckwheat coal, 
delivered for burning by forced draft at power house 1, 
proved to be of such poor quality that we have had to buy 
much bituminous coal to mix with it, in order to keep 
steam pressure up to requirements; this bituminous coal 
has been obtainable only in small quantities during Decem- 
ber and January, and we have also had to use some of it in 
power house 2, on account of inability to obtain the pea 
coal required for the furnaces there. 
On January 3, 1918, after correspondence and conversa- 
