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to infor~n you that the Hospita~ would accept the loam of
<br />a generator from the C~ty,
<br /> ~nard~ing you for your tahoe_est in the hospital Z am,
<br />
<br />Very t ruty yours,
<br />
<br />Elsie Bo Privott, Secretary."
<br />
<br /> 0n~motion 0~dered filed~'
<br />
<br /> Sth - "Realizing that there was a critical shortage of oil in the area, i
<br />as far back as the last part of November, my. offic.e ~s worked closely with the local oil
<br />dealers as well as throug~u our Congressman mn Washmngton amd representatives of the productionl
<br />end of oil in Washington, Richmond, Baltimore and t~ew York. The situation does not appear any
<br />too bright.
<br /> On Thursday, December 18th, there was a cor~f~ersnce in my office
<br />with the local oil dealers, at which time ~e conferred, long distance, with the Small Business
<br />Committee, headed by Senator ~aerry in Washingtin, a_ud the following day, while in Washington,
<br />efforts ~ere made to relieve the situationi n Portsraouth. There has b sen sc~e little relief.
<br /> _r am ~ receipt .of th~ attached letter from our Co~gres~an,
<br />~.hich i would like to.enter into.the records, mn order that the public may be assured that the
<br />City Government is dom~ everythmng possible to anticipate the oossibility of ~sufferir~ here
<br />by attempting to alleviate conditions.'~
<br />
<br /> "Ill an effort to get to the bottom of the oil situation, i have
<br /> discussed the ~tter with the Department of the Interior and with
<br /> the Interstate and Foreign Co,narcs Co~m~ittee~ This Committee has
<br /> conducted hearings during the past week or ten days, at v_~_ich of -
<br /> ficials of the oetroleum industry, the Interior Department and the
<br /> U.S. ~larm~mme C~nmmss~on have testified.
<br /> it appeared at first that the difficulty was arising from a prob-
<br /> lem of production and supply, Prom the hearir~s it was developed
<br /> that the areas which were e~cperiencing the most acute shortages
<br /> Could probably be assisted if sufficient transportation could b
<br /> supplied. ~ this ¢omnection, there has been some effort made to
<br /> to obtain help from the Maritime Commission. i s~m advised by the
<br /> Committee, ~owever, that-most of the 140 tankers remaining under
<br /> the Commissmon's conb tel, and which could be used for the transpor-
<br /> tation of oil,~are in need of extensive repairs.
<br /> On the production side, it appears that individual firms of the
<br /> industry are unwillLr_g to curtail ~e production o f gasoline in
<br /> order to increase the production of fuel oil unless the entire in
<br /> dustry~can agree on a program, if they attempted to get together,
<br /> it is believed that t~ue Attorney General would be forced to
<br /> s~[t under the Anti-Trust laws. It is my muderstanding that the
<br /> Justice Department sad representatives of the petroleum industry
<br /> have been meeting this morning in an effort to find some way in
<br /> which the industry might ~each-~a agreement by which the production
<br /> of gasoline could be c~rtailed and fuel oil increased without, at
<br /> the same time, subjecting themselves to legal action.
<br /> Of course, the ~act still remains 'Lhat the demand is much greater
<br /> than the supply. There are a million new oil burners in operation
<br /> ~nich, of course, makes the situation still ~orse. Per+~aps if
<br /> 5~st~ibution problems can be alleviated Lmmediately, then the most
<br /> distressed areas can receive some relief without too rauch del~
<br /> There is am_ Executive Co~littee meeting being held this afternoon,
<br /> after vfnick i ~ advised the Committee will be in a position to
<br /> ar~uounce what specific ,steps may be taken to relieve the critical
<br /> situation. I shall follow the matter closely and will keep you ad-
<br /> a~sed of developments. ~'
<br />
<br />On motion ordered filed.
<br />
<br /> 6th - "The following letter has b sen received relative to sa% appropris~
<br />tion made early this year,at the request of the Lions' Club, smd. I am recommending that their
<br />request be concurred in:
<br /> 'This is ..in reply to your very kind letter dated November
<br /> 19th~ 1947-.
<br /> Du.e to pressing activities s_~d the 1947 Lions i~insbrei Show
<br /> we have beenunable to progress as plar~ed on the proposed
<br /> Boys' Club. However, it is our. intention to proceed with
<br /> this project early in 1948. We will higi~ly appreciate it.if
<br /> you will ask the Portsmouth City Coua%cil at the Decenfoer
<br /> meeting to carzy over
<br /> 19~8 as %?e have already approximately $10,000.00 subscrmbed
<br /> to this project,
<br /> Lion B.E. Beale is Chaimman and A.G. Sweet, Co-Chairman, of
<br /> the proposed Boys' Club and have called a general meetir~g in
<br /> January, 1948. We will keep you advised as we progress.
<br /> Please advise us of the action of your Council in this matter.
<br /> Also, please !et me express to you and the Council our apprecia-
<br /> tion for your interest in this project.'~
<br /> Yours very truly,
<br /> Portsmouth Lions Club - Si~uey Keller,
<br /> President
<br />
<br />
<br />
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