Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-12
CEDAR WORKS IS
! FORCED TO CLOSE
BY ICE IN RIVER
Unable TO Get Logs From
Dismal Swamp Until
Thaw Comes.
ABOUT 1000 PEOPLE ARE
THROWN OUT OF WORK
Weather Bureau Predicts An
other Cold Wave. With Zero
Weather Tomorrow.
RIVER CLOSED TWO WEEKS
Unprecedented Traffic Tic-Tp for
THIS CI;matc-Charitics Pre-
pare for Siege.
ABOUT 1000 PEOPLE ARE
THROWN OUT OF WORK
RIVER CLOSED TWO WEEKS
Unprecedented Traffic Tic-Tp for
THIS Climatc-Charitics Pre-
pare for Siege.

pare for Siege.
With the James River frozen solid
and all water transportation suspended
the plant OF the Richmond Cedar Works
giving employment & approximately
1000 men and women. was closed tenn
porarily last nigh, because OF it's in
ability to obtain timber. Logs used
by tho company are hauled from the
Dismal swamp exclusively by bargcs.
and this traffic has becu suspended for
nearly two weeks. officers declared
that the plant would resume opera
ttons as quickly as possible.
No definite statement. however. could
he made. since the forccas, OF the
weather Bureau indicates another cold
wave. which Will mean a greater frcez-
Ing o. the James River Hopes that
the river might be opened ia traffic
were entertained by officers or the COM
pany until the last moment. while its
supply OF timber was being quickly
exhausted. 1t was found yesterday,
however. that the plant must cca Sc op-
crations.
Employees were advised ut once Of
this fact, but practically none of the
worNmcn had mace other arrange
rnen,s. Several bargcs OF logs are now
being held in the vicinity OF Norfolk,
IL Is understood, and Will be moved to
Richmond quickly enc" the ice In the
river thaws. The plant has orders for
considera ble business and every effort
VIII be made TO speed up the movemcn,
Of materials aS soon as conditions
permit.
suprI.T ow LOGS IS
ENTIRELY EXHAUSTED
we had a fairly large supply Of
logs at our plant when the hrst cold
wave reached Richmond and the James
River became frozen" said w. J. Far
rish. president OF the company. IA st
night The ice quickly prevented ali
river transportation. and we consumed
our supply. There Is no finishing work
to be don. at the plant because we
complete our products as We inanufac-
ture the articles, and for that reason
1t Is Impossible TO keep any part OF
the plant at work
"OHiccrs Of the company regret. OF
course, that wc are forced to close
down the plant. but the situation is
such that no other action can be taken.
Just as soon the ice thaws suiIici-
emily TO warrant such a step. our boa L
will break their way through TO Rich
mond
"One OF our vessels attempted TO
move yesterday in North Carolina, but
became jammed III the ice. was ad-
viscd that at one point the ice was six
inches in thickness. which was the
most known in that section for forty
years. 1t Is only Il twenty -eight-hour
trip from the swamps TO Richmond.
and as soon the weather opens the
hn in .li
tion and operations at the plant re-
sumed."
ABOUT 900 PEOPLE ARE
THROWN OUT Or EMPLOYMENT
While the plant OF the Cedar Works
is operating al this time with
slightly smaller force than normal. be-
cause OF tho labor situation. there are
between 500 and l.o0o men and women
employed in its various shops These
employees are dependent entirely upon
their earnings for livelihood, and
with the closing OF the plant face a
serious situation.
Director Il. y. Evans. OF the Rich
mond Weather Bureau, said last night
that he expected zero weather in this
city by Tomorrow morning. The cold
wave is moving rapidly towards Rich
mond. but il is not expected 10 be
protractcd as its recent predecessor.
Snow began falling about noon yes
terday, and continued until late in the
afternoon. when il changed into rain
and sleet, and later into "A warm rain,
which continued. for several hours.
Shortly before midnight. however.
Richmond was visited by summer:
rainstorm of considerable proportion.
with lightning and thunder. while the
heavy downfall continued for several
hours this morning. There was an
appreciab!e rise in the temperature,
which indicated thaw of the ice in
the James River.
FEAR or ICE GORGE
COMES WITH RAIN
Kissing temperature caused alarm in
certain quarters over the condition of
The river. Fear was expressed that
with a sudden thaw and rush OF flood
waters down the James that the ice
blocked just below the dock would
form a gorge and there woa!d nc
repetition of the food Of 1899. AT an
early hour this morning there had been
no appreciahlc rise in the river.
The storm last night was genera,
and caused considerable damage TO tcle-
graph companies Wire trouble at mid
night was extensive, and became worse
as the night progressed, more ana
more Offices being cut out. Wire chiefs
expected this morning reports of many
damas scd lines. and were preparing for
repairs. Because Of this situation. few
reports from the State were obtainablc
The general weather forecast for
Virginia from Washington late last