South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-05

Closing of city schools has been
taken under serious consideration as
a means Of relieving the coal short
age in South Bend. according 10 J..
7. Hardy. county fuel administrator.
Il feel that it has become more nee
essary. and more advisable, now
than ever before" he declared Mon
day.
But two cars Of coal arrived in
South Bend Monday morning. to
meet the increased demand caused
by the sudden drop i'm temperature
during the night After compare
tive warm temperature on saturday,
the mercury started its descent early
Sunday morning. reaching 10 above
at noon, and showing Il above at 8
o'clock Sunday night Monday
morning the temperature was eight
below, at z O'Clock, but a strong
north wind intensified the cold con-
siderab!y.
The temperature at noon Monday
according 10 government records, was
three degrees below zero.
Not Well Situated.
South Bend is not we'll situated
I'm regard to the coal supply" de-
Clared Mr. Hardy. The coal fields
are in the extreme southern portion
of the state, and we are almost at
the north state line. The connect
ing link between ms is very weak. If
we had a lire of communication
with the coal fields like the New
York Central main line, there would
not be half the trouble"
Coal at Danville, III. is to be ship
ped to South Bend by way of the
Big -Four railroad. said Mr. Hardy.
This line has not carried coal here
tofore. but the present need has
caused a change IN previous prac-
tices. Ten cars are supposed 20 be
ON their way 10 South Bend at the
present time.
state Administrator WOolleu has
already placed orders with mine op-
orators for $500 cars of COAL de
Clared Mr.. Hardy. who returned
Sunday from visit - the state ad-
ministrators office. "The mines can
tim this oder at the rate of about
n
orders we put in now win probably
not be taken care of for some time"
Leaves for Coal Fields.
N. G. Staley. Mr.. Hardys assist
amt left Monday morning for the
coal fields He VIII look over the sit
uauon there and endeavor to speed
shipments OF fuel TO ST. Joseph
county
other cities i'm st. Joseph county
are as badly situated as i'm south
Bend according 20 Mr.. Hardy Osce-
ola, New Carlisle and various of the
smaller centers are getting very in
sufficient shipment he says. When
asked whether the more rural towns
would not bee able 20 use wood for
fuel better than South Bend. Mr.
Hardy declared that il was very
difficult proposition.
People of today are poorly quail
ned 10 shift for themselves" de-
clared the fuel administrator. "Our
present mOo.s of living have made
1t pretty easy for us. and the result.
On this case. is therefore pretty hard
on us The average man doesn {
know how 10 go out and fell a tree.
even If he had the tools and equip
ueut with which 90 do il. Besides.
many OF the farmers in st. Joseph
county have no wood on their farms
except fence posts. ON other farms
where there IS e little timber. the
man who lives there is a renter. and
is not allowed 10 cut trees.
No Enthusiasm for Wood.
ct have been trying for so days TO
get some enthusiasm worked M
which viii set some wood brought
into the city The park board has
offered a number o. trees, not far
from the edge of town. which can
be had for the cutting but so far
no action has been taken in this
matter
cot course. one can hardly blame
person for not wanting 60 get out
I'm snow two feet deep 90 cut a few
trees. but the situation is desperate.
and that viii probably have to be
done"
Regarding the coal stored in the
homes OF PEOPLE not in South Bend
az present, Mr.. Hardy declared that
the amount II fuel which could bee
obtained from this source would be
entirely inadequate 90 help matters
materially Besides he added
chat coal would have 20 be sold for
a pretty high price. Most Of IL was
purchased before the government
set the price. and the cost OF get
ting II out OF the cellars and stor-