New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-17
First "Lightless Night"
Finds Many Violators in
Theatres and Stores
Fuel Administrator
To Issue Warnings
Current Will Be Refused
Those Who Fail to Com.
ply, He Says

Broadway last nigh. came through
its arst Eighties Sunday" ordained b.
the Fuel Administration, with abon.
half Of its usual electric glitter The
Great White Ways kilowatty eye wa.
nearly closed, but up 20 a late hour no
reports had come in Of persons injured
on account Of the gloom
With one exception every one OF the
big display signs adorning Long Acre
Square STAYED IT, darkncsg during the
evening, and hotels and business places
along the thoroughfare were conspicu.
Gus examples Of obedience 20 the new
order.
Many Violations Found
Motion picture theatres, restaurants
and department stores and other shops
closed TO business were the most IA.
grant in their violations Reeve Schley.
Federal Fuel Administrator for New
York County, declared last night. after
a thorough inspection Of the district,
that the result was satisfactory enough
considering the short notice given by
the Federal Administration.
The people who keep their outs;d.
signs and their window Illumination
going on Sundays and Thursdays will
be severely dealt WITH" declared Mr..
Schlcy. "All violations We found To-
night will result in the issuance OF
warnings TO these people Most OF the
violations were due TO misUnderstand.
ings.
III they are continued, however
there is but one thing We will do. The
Edison Company is cooperating with
the government, and we will be able 10
quench the offending signs at their
source--in other words, we will have
their current turned OF By the com.
pany."
The playful kitten tumblihg its spool
Of silk at Forty-second Street and
Broadway must have felt great lone
someness. She must have missed the
companions Of better days. before the
war and fuel administration were in.
vented. Gone were the gymnastie
skeletons who used to perform merrily
a few blocks north. The woman trying
on a corset did not appear, nor the
ever-emptying bottle, nor the lighted
clock, nor the diving Venus few
blocks east. All. all were gone last
night. The kitten alone tumblsd--
from s to II.
Astor Douses Lights
The Hotel Astor. 20 add 70 the CON-
paratiye gloom, had extinguished the
row of medieyal lamps strung along
its Broadway front, depending on
few small electric bulbs under the
carriage curtain to light the entire
block. The Claridge, a block down,
was also dark on It's Broadway side,
lwhile Churchills had cut of its large
sign.
Many Of the smaller stores stopped
their outside lights, but the majority
kept them on. Closed stores in large
numbers had their windows illumin-
ated. contrary TO the fuel order De-
partment stores with window displays
for the holidays offended, too.
The motion picture temples" sew
eral with newly strung lights, were
an even greater riot of light than usual
in the general darkening. One cabaret
and restaurant kept going all night an
electric sign which is two stories In
height and covers more than half
block in length.
Broadway was thronged last night,
and it is believed that many came for
the purpose Of seeing it dimmed. The
White Way of Harlem, l25th Street.
and the restaurant and theatre district
of Brooklyn, about Flstbush Avenue,
were both as brightly illuminated a.
usual Most Of the places did not even
observe the former ruling OF the fuel
administration, allowing street illumi'
nation between 1880 and II O'Clock.
The Broadway Association last night
issued statement attacking the e.
ficacy of Eighties nights" in fuel saw
ing. The statement said the fuel con-
sumed by the signs was negligible "
quantity, and advocated other devices.
Administrator Schley declared, in re-
ply, that he was not considering the
efficacy of the plan. but was determined
70 carry out here the nationwide order
Of Federal Fuel Dictator Garfield.
Thursday will be the next Eighties
night" and on that night, Mr.. Sehley
says, every outdoor light in the city
except those absolutely needed for
safety, will be quenched On that
night. he says, householders should use
IL - L