South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-18
Nearly 10000 Idle
in inS0uthBendReSuLt
Closing Down Order

Nine thousand South Bend work
men were thrown out of employ
ment Friday morning. TO remain out
of employment for the next i've
days. when the national fuel admin
istration's factory shut down order
became effective
Added to the 5000 factory work
ers who are affected by the clos
ing down orders are approximately
1000 employees of theaters. saloons,
bowling alleys, billiard halls and
other places of amusement, bring
ing the approximate number of men
who will be idle i'm the city during
the five-day period to 10000. Near
ly one-sixth of the total population
of South Bend will be idle during
the conservation period set aside by
the fuel administration.
The order closing down the fac
tories in the city became effective
Friday morning as did the order
closing the saloons for the next five
days Mayor Carson, under the in
structions of County Fuel Admin
istrator l. p. Hardy Friday morn
ing issued a proclamation closing
all places of amusement in the city.
This includes. bowling alleys, bill
lard halls, dance halls, clubs and
all places Of amusement and be-
comes effective Saturday morning.
Reason For Theater Order.
The order closing the theaters
and other places of amusement is
done solely for coal conservation
purposes said Mr.. Hardy Friday.
"At first 1 was inclined to allow the
heaters to remain open, believing
that they would provide a place
where people could congregate to
get warm. 1 was under the impress
sion that all places heated by the
St. Joseph County Heating Co.
could be allowed 10 remain open
with little or no use of coal. but
Mr. Bryan, of the heating company
informed me that for every pound
of steam sent through the pipes of
the company meant that much more
coal consumed. Consequ emily 7 inn
mediately changed the orders re-
garding theaters and other places
of amusement that might obtain their
heat from the heating company.
They must observe the closing order
the same as all other uneXempted
places"
Police 10 Enforce Closing.
The police orders in regard 10 the
closing of the saloons during the
five-day period are TO be rigidly en-
forced. according to Chief of Police
Kline.
Some of the saloons called up
and asked permission TO keep open,
saying that they Wolld run without
anv heat in them, but we told them
that they must close and remain
closed" said the chief Friday
A few factories that either do not
use coal 70 any extent as fuel, the
coal being replaced by wood. or
those manufa curing articles Of
clothing for the army or navy, will
| be allowed to operate during the
fve-day closing down period. About
5000 men are employed i'm these
industries They are the Ridenour
Garment Co, employing approx
| imately As persons: the South Bend
Wooden Co, employing about 25O
persons: the South Bend Toy Co,
with approximately 400 employees;
| the Stephenson Mfg. Co, employing
approximately $50 persons: the
Singer Mfg. Co. with approximately
2.10O employees and the South Bend
Dowen works. employing about 40
| persons. These concerns either are
making supplies for the army and
navy, or do not use coal to any eX-
| tent as fuel
Chamber Open Until Five.
The Cha mber of Commerce VIII
| be allowed TO remain open four Of
the five days until o'clock in the