Evening journal., 1918-01-18

q AtAANA ~ AAA ANn fNRN6IN eAGN'AHbs
asking that certain exemptions be made
under the new ruling and all that they
asked was so obviously essential that
Mr.. Ten Weeges readily conceded all
they asked. This pertained largely TO
the maintenance Of power enough TO
operate cranes for the unloading Of cars
on sidings in company yards and the
employment Of men TO run these cranes.
They also asked that plants be per-
| mitted to clear up raw stock in process
Of manufacture and this too, was per-
mitted
Members Of the organization are said
| to feel that they should have been
given two or three days notice Of the
closing order so they could close down
| gradually.
No estimate could be made today Of
/ the number Of men affected by the
closing Of the many industrial concerns.
/ This Is because OF the fact that in all
/ Of the plants a certain number OF EN-
| ployes have been retained. so that the
| percentage not engaged could not be
/ computed today.
! There was not in evidence this morn
| ing any great number Of idle men on
the streets In fact there were no
more than is to be seen on any ordi-
nary day in the week and as far as
the number Of idle men TO be found
was concerned, there was nothing TO
show that the city's industrial life was
at present suffering from one Of the
most staggering blows II has ever re-
ceved.
Some DUPONT Plants Operate.
Permission came to the dupont Com
pany yesterday from Administrator Gar
field for the operation Of plants en-
gagged in making military explosives.
AS a result the plants at Carney's
Point, n. j.: Hopewell, Va Haskell, n.
j.; Parlin, n. j.. and Barksdale, Wis,
were kept in operation, but the big
dynamite plant at Gibbstown, n. j.,
and other commercial powder plants
throughout the land are closed down
for the flve-days period unless the gov
ernment should modify the order. The
BrandyNine shops, the powder plant
along the Brandywine and the Belts
machine shops Of the dupont Com
pany in this city are closed down, but
the box-making department along the
BrandyNine and the Brandywine and
the Poole Machine shops Of the dupont
Company are being kept in operation,
however.
No decision has been reached as to
closing the dupont Company's offices
on Monday.
The plants Of the Atlas Powder Com
pany and the Hercules Powder Com
pany are in operation, under permis-
sion OF Dr.. Garfield.
Laundries in Operation.
Whether the industrial closing order
applies to laundries is a matter Of
doubt to the proprietors Of such places
In this city, and following the rule,
when in doubt 90 ahead, they are
all in full operation this morning
James +. Hoey, OF the | Y L Laundry,
last night wired to Washington asking
for instructions and pointing out that
everyone had TO have washing done. He
received a reply in return stating: Let
them do their washing at home"
The laundrymen argue that to close
the laundrles would breed disease
throughout the country. In this city
especially there are many persons. in
cluding thousands OF munitions work
ers. living IN apartment houses, hotels
and boarding houses who cannot do
their own washing and have to depend
on the laundries For this reason the
laundries are working. and will con-
tinue 10 work unless definite instruc-
tions are received to close down. Mr.
Hoey is stlll waiting TO- definite in
structlons from Washington.
The Edge Moor Iron Company, one
Of tho concerns that has closeu down
Tor five days, has announced that It's
employees will be paid at the Second
street Branch Of the Wilmington Trust
Company tomorrow morning, instead OF
having to 60 out TO the plant to re-
ceive their pay.
Smoke POurs Just the Same.
Notwithstanding that many industrial
plants were not operating today, smoke
was pouring from their smokestacks
and steam was exhausting from their
pipes just the same today as on other
days.
In the Office Of one plant that is shut
down the clerical force was working In
shirt sleeves as usual this morning.
While the Bond Bottle Seal Com
pany at Fifth and Monroe streets, is
die under Federal Fuel Administrator
Garfelds orders closing all industries
for five days, the company intends 10
make use Of this period TO aid the gov
ernment in a material way. Henry p.
Scott, Jr., an official OF the company,
has offered to the Red Cross to have
the 200 girls employed at the plant make
bandages for wounded soldiers If the
Red Cross will furnish the material.
The company will pay its employees
engaged in this work their regular sal
aries, but viii donate their services to
the Red Cross The offer has not been
acted upon by the Red Cross as yet.