The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-01-12
COAL OUTLOOK
IS STILL GLOOMY
Even MunitiOn Plants May
Have to Close for
a Time
EVERYBODY SHOULD
CURTAIL ON FUEL
Demands from Various Parts of Coun-
try Are Flooding National Fuel Ad-
ministration- Situation May Be
Worse Before Spring

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12-Even some
plants making munitions and other war
supplies may have to eurtail fuel con
sumption during the next so days, Fuel
Administrator Garfield said last night
in a statement assuring the public that
every effort would be made to distribute
the available supply of coal where most
needed and that no Partially would be
shown any section
Part of the 3S,00O,000 tons shortage
of the past year has been made up, DIR.
Garfield said, but there still is a large
deficiency and it will be felt chiefly
this month and next.
There can be no possible general re-
lief for at least 60 days and within that
time the situation may grow much
worse than it is now, according to DIR.
Garfield
Every one must conserve and cur
tail the use of coal he declared
I"While war plants and public utilities
must be favored among industries it is
; likely that they, too, Will feel the pinch.
It is distressing to be obliged to wit
ness the hardships the people are under
going. Demands are flooding the fuel
administration from municipalities but
no locality can be shown preference and
coal will be distributed equitablv with
no favors shown. The present situation
is due almost wholly to railroad CON
; gestion.
Voluntary curtailment of the coal re-
Iquircments of the less essential indus
tries is working well, DR.. Garfield said
I and every industry asked to reduce its
5 use of coal has shown a willingness ia
e cooperate, The voluntary plan would
= work better than an enforced curtail
ment he added. because each industry
!, would watch its own members to see
g that they We're carrying ont their agree
: ment.
Most of the industries asked to re
duce their coal consumption win ac
eomplish it by shutting down entirely
= for one dav each week as the paper
! board makers already have been ORDERED
II to do. Some industries. however. can
l. not shut down easily for a day anC
It these Will be asked to cease operations
for as long as IA month later on in tn,
II year 1t is suggested that the glass in
IS dustry might be one of these. The pa
" per-board plants are shutting down on
I day in the week, beginning today, ant
2 it is estimated the coal saving vii
amount to about $4,000 tons.
:. Explaining his recent order givin
IA state fuel administrators authority t
II close industries to supply householder
g with coal DR. Garfield SAID that this pow
il er would be permitted only in emel
n gencies and that the fuel administrator
# would decide the matter OF reducin
- coal to industries when a general polio
was involved. State fuel administra
lions, he explained, could close indn:
tries, theaters and other establishment
if necessary to tide over any emeI
he gency.
J. J. Storrow Of Boston, fuel admin
istrator for New England, notified D
y" Garfield that he had devised plan f
saving two days on the return trip {
ng every coal car that takes coal from Il
mines to New England towns. TIL
1t saving, he said, viii make up the add
tionaI 500 cars of coal that DIR. Ga
field has ordered shipped to New En-
RS. land daily.
Before leaving last night for Ne
oo York p. B. Moves of the fuel administr
-. ton said it would be difficult to e
much more coal into the city for L
present and that consumption must
~ curtailcd. because continued shipmen
/" to New Jersey ports would only add
the congestion and create shortages els
y. where