The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-24
EMBARGO PLACED ON THREE ROADS
 IS EXTENDED TO
 MANY OTH E K s
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coal distribution will be put into op- eraton within a week. Pfans for such an arrangement were discussed today at conference between Director General McAdoo and Fuel Administrator Garfield, both of whom announced later that they were working in entire concord. | Although there remained a cold over
 most of the east today, the lack of snow- l fall made possible slight improvement l in the traffic situation. The flow of coal eastward to the Atlantic seaboard and New England was somewhat greater and the supply of empty cars to min | ing regions were slow.
 The number of ships awaiting bunker coal at Atlantic ports was smaller today. but freezing of coal in the cars still hampered dumping and ice interfered with lighterage.
 The supply of empty cars to the Penn sylvania anthracite regions was nearly nominal. though the central Pennsylvania bituminous district got only about half it's usual number. Car shortage com pelled Indiana mines to work at 70 per cent capacity. About 50 mines in the Pocaho field of West Virginia and Virginia suspended work. West Virginia got about two-thirds it's normal car sup ply and the Pittsburg district about one half.
 The movement of coal to Michigan and Chicago was far better than on previous days, and meat and live stock moved eastward in considerable quantities to- day.
 The dumping of coal at tidewater was particularly retarded today 1t Hampton Roads, whose southern latitude hereto fore has rendered thawing apparatus unnecessary. Weather conditions at Nor- folk were reported today as worse than for many years, and a number of ships were held up for lack of coal. Temperatures ranged not far from the zero mark over much of the coun- try tonight, but warmer weather was in prospect later in the week, and when it comes railroad officials look for much improvement in transporta- tion.
 Today's embargo will not apply to shipments of munitions or other war supplies specifically approved by the war or navy departments and the shipping board.
 Telegrams of inquiry from the md- dle west concerning reports of em- bargoes were answered with the in- formation that local railroad officials have power to decline to accept freight dcsHtlHcu lOI tluDdISOeQ pOlltS UT lines. Indications tonight were that many such local embargoes would be put into effect tomorrow.
 ZONE SYSTEM OUTLINED
 The contemplated zone system .of coal distribution is based on a plan prepared some months ago by Francis $. Peabody, chairman of the coal com- mittee of the council of national de- fense. The plan is to have each pro- ducing district serve a certain pre- scribed territory as near to the mines as possible. so as,-to do away with cross-hauling and make transporta- ton more economic. Fuel administra- tfon officials estimate that at least 20 per cent of present hauling can be saved
 Many contracts will not expire un- til April and if zoning is established some provision will have to be made to care for them. It Is likely that an effort will be made to shift con- tracts in such manner that the interests both of the seller and the new form of contract devised by the fuel administration shipments by zones will be made compulsory
 Many of the less essential indus tries, 1t was indicated today. will find it hard to get coal supplies for many weeks to come. With the expiration ofsthe five-day curtailment order they are permitted to burn what they have on hand. except on Mondays, but the fuel administrators continued en- forcement of the order in so far as 1t establishes preferred list of con- sumers automatically cuts off ship ments to the less essential plants
 EFFECTS OF CLOSING DOWN
 Fuel administration officials could not say today just what has been the effect. of the five-dRy closing other than that more ships have been SUD- piled with bunker coal and that com plaints from household consumers of a lack of coal have been fewer in number.
 It was ruled today that in prevent. ing the use of fuel on Mondays the fuel administration did not intend to interfere in any way with the opera tions of automobiles States fuel ad- ministrators were sent the following instructions today in this regard.
 There is nothing in the order of January ' to prevent the opera tion of automobiles. motor vehicles, all classes being considered as coming under the head of public utilities Tn