100 years ago in The Record
Wednesday, Sept. 19, 1917
Increased government demand for coal during the war against Germany is creating potentially dangerous shortages in Troy, The Record reports. Mayor Cornelius F. Burns tells reporters this morning that he plans to write national coal commissioner Harry A. Garfield, “recommending that the same consideration be given to municipalities as to government interests in the coal supply.” Last weekend, Troy school superintendent Arvie Eldred advised janitors to “be as economical as possible,” but some schools already have run out of coal at the cusp of autumn. While Eldred tells reporters that “the supply cannot be called alarmingly dangerous,” our reporter writes that “The supply in this city is reaching a dangerous point.” Coal is essential to home as well as municipal heating. As a backlog of unfilled orders accumulates, dating back at least six weeks in some cases, “apprehension on the part of the private consumer is also becoming announced.” At the municipal level, Troy is in a worse position than other cities because it contracts with coal suppliers for one year at a time, while many other cities draw up multiple- year contracts. The school district has not yet received a bid on its coal contract, months after a deal is usually finalized. Mayor Burns enjoys a bully pulpit as president of the state conference of mayors, but how much he can do to relieve the coal shortage is unclear for now.
Primary day
Primary elections for city and county offices see light turnout in most of Troy, and no real violence until the end of the day.
The mayor runs unopposed in today’s Democratic primary, while a last- minute attempt to deny Fourth Ward alderman George T. Morris the Republican mayoral nomination through a write- in campaign for County Attorney Herbert F. Roy proves a bust.
Morris, an abrasive fiscal conservative who scared away potential challengers by declaring his candidacy early, often forms a minority of one in the common council. If elected mayor, he may have new allies on the council after Morris supporters in Lansingburgh defeat incumbents in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth wards. In the Fourth, the primary for Morris’s seat is too close to call.
On the Democratic side, the primary for Twelfth Ward alderman remains undecided after a “wrangle” over 50 disputed ballots. A fistfight breaks out between supporters of incumbent Joseph McLoughlin and his challenger as the ballots are taken to the city clerk’s office.
City Democratic leaders tell reporters that they aren’t worried about the controversy because both sides have already pledged allegiance to Mayor Burns and the city and county tickets for the November election.