The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-12-21
FACTORIES MAY
!. Be COMPELLED
TO SHUT DOWN
Fuel Situation in Indiana
Craver Than Any Time This
Year, Says Woollen.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Dec. 20
Factories engaged in the manufacture
of non-essentials have begun to feel
the pinch of the coal shortage, and
with the Indiana coal mines and the
railroads giving preference to rail-
road and domestic fuel, II will not be
surprising II some factories are forced
to close within the week.
A week Of zero weathed had 50 de-
moralized transportation that on last
Saturday Evans Woollen, the Federal
Fuel Administrator for Indiana wired
all mine owners in the state as fol-
lows:
During next week and until present
grave crisis Is met. please do not hest
tate In giving rigorous preference to
needs OF utilities and domestic con.
sumers."
Not only has the transportation sit.
,uation been very bad for more than a
week, but for three days of last week
all the larger coal mines in Indiana
were closed down and at no time dur
Ing the week were all Of them run
ming at normal capacity. AS result,
the Indiana situation is decidedly
'graver than 1t has been at any time
this year, and 1t will take vigorous
action on the part of the fuel admin
istration, the mines and the railroads
II public utilities are kept going and
Indiana homes are kept warm.
There are two demands for COAL
other than those of the utilities and
homes, which must be cared for
promptly. These are the demands of
the railroads, which must have fuel
else the movement of freight stops,
and the demands of the government
for fuel to protect government work
incident to the military program.
After these public utilities and house
holds are being cared for. Manifestly
all the coal available for manufac-
turers is what is left over after the
above demands are met, and right now
there Is practically no coal available
for factories in Indiana.
The situation is improving rapidly
and, unless another season of severe
weather comes along, a week or ten
days should see a marked improve
ment In the state situation.
"liqhtless Nights" Here.
The "lightless night" has arrived.
The Federal Fuel Administrator for
Indiana is sending to each country fuel
administrator copy of the order re-
Gently issued by the Washington
office, which provides for two light.
less nights" each week, Sunday and
Thursday.
On these two nights electric signs,
ornamental street lights, in fact, all
electric lights except those essential
to safety, must be turned off. The
order is now in effect and its enforce
ment is in the hands of the county
fuel administrators.
The order has for its aim the con-
servation of coal and the Federal Fuel
Administrator has the power to re-
fuse coal to any concern which uses
it to generate electricity for signs and
ornamental lighting if they fail to
comply with the order.
Display lights in stores and theatres
come under the order and, excepting
those lights necessary for the protect
ion of property and the public, must
be turned off on Sunday and Thurs
day nights.
Students Cut Wood.
Evans Woollen. Federal Fuel Admin
istrator for Indiana, has written let
ter to the officials of the Interlaken
School in Rolling Prairie, Ind. express
ing his appreciation of the work of the
students there who have gone in for
wood cutting.
There are twenty-five cabins at In
terlaken and two boys occupy each