Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1918-01-03
o!!AYH0USES MAY Be CLOSED
Coal Shortage Stressed and Instrue-
tions Are Issued BY the State Fuel
Administrator.

Anderson.-B. B. Gossett, state fuel
administrator, has sent to the various
fuel committees throughout the state
letter in which he directs that infor-
nation be secured from owners and
managers OF theatres, public halls,
clubs. billiard and pool rooms and 9TH
er places of public amusements as to
the hours their places are kept open.
and the amount Of coal they consume
daily, with the view OF ordering the
places closed entirely or for part time
II the committees think such steps
necessary in view Of the coal shortage.
The letter OF Mr.. Gossett follows:
Your earnest attention Is directed
to the following information and in.
structions:
Under date OF December 10. 1917.
DR.. III. A. Garfield United States fuel
administrator. transmitted to this Of
fee authority to divert coal however
consigned, except railroad fuel. for
use to domestic consumers whenever
In my Judgment such diversion should
become necessary to prevent actual
suffering. He further gave authority
temporarily to close industries. thea.
ters. public halls and similar places
II necessary in order to meet the do
mestic need
II desire to call your attention to
the fact that the situation through
out the state is still acute and owing
to the general shortage of coal
throughout the United States. and
may say throughout the world 1t is
going to be necessary to put forth ex-
traordinary efforts to meet the situ-
alton and unless consumers generally
cooperate to the utmost degree I'm the
conservation OF coal 1t is going to be-
come necessary to exercise the au-
thority given. Persons who have on
hand large supplies OF coal for their
own use must be given to understand
that 1t is necessary that they reduce
their consumption CT coal to a mini
mum. | am advised that it is i'm
minently necessary that certain thea
ters. public halls. clubs. pool rooms.
and other places of social and public
recreation be closed. Before order.
ing this done. however, desire to
have In hand report from your com
mittee. You are therefore authorized
at once to summons before you own
ers and managers of the theaters. pub
lie halls. clubs. billiard and pool rooms
and other places OF public amuse.
ments and recreation and to obtain
from them full information as to the
hours during which they remain open
and amount OF coal being daily con-
sumed by them. II in your judgment
they or any of them should close en-
tirely or for part Of the time, please
so report at once. 1t would be well to
suggest Immediately to all persons In
terested in places OF the character
above mentioned that II is advisable
that they voluntarily keep closed for
part of the time at least. and that
they greatly reduce their consump.
ton of coal.
Early Closing for Stores.
"In this connection. would further
suggest that merchants be requested
to voluntarily close their places o
business, beginning on January l. not
later than 6 o'clock in the evening
mad to fire their stoves or heaters not
earlier than o'clock In the morn.
ing.
"1t would be well also again to en-
phasize the importance Of churches
having union services through the
cold weather az far as possible and
to disense with night services.