Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-16
LOCAL FACTORIES
HIT IF SHORTAGE
COAL CONTINUES
Commission Here Instructed to Divert
Goal Received to Dealers and
Public Utilities.
uovrS ARE GIVEN PREFERENCE
Tom Scattered Violations to Orders
issued Yesterday Are Reported
Throughout City.

"Diyert all coal received to retail
dealers and public utilities was the
order received yesterday afternoon by
II A. Clevenstine. chairman of the
Rock Island county fuel commission,
from the state fuel commission.
This means that local industries
uilI suffer II the fuel famine is pro-
longed. Preference in the present
emergency is given to private homes
and public utilities, the street car
company and power plants.
The new orders issued yesterday by
tho fuel commission went into effect
last night and this morning for the
first time The majority of saloons
and cigar stores did not open until s
o'clock. \ few Of the saloon keepers
who kept open made the excuse that
,hey were not officially notified and
were at a loss what to do. The larger
stores in the loop did not open until
o'clock Every night but Saturday
Is lightless night.
This action greatly aided, the Tri-
City Railway company, relieving what
is known as the peak or rush ser
vice in the morning. when the great
est amount of power is used. Under
the present plan the shop workers go
from ) to o'clock, the Office workers
from to s o'clock and the store en-
Moves from s TO Q o'clock. All heat
ing in offices was discontinued at .
last night.
Eliminate Matilees.
Mr.. Clevenstine held a meeting with
the local theatre men today, in which
he suggested that the matinee per
formances be discontinued until the
coal crisis is over. If this plan is
adopted the moving picture theatres
will give but two shows day, the
first starting at Z o'clock in the even
ing and the second show ending al
about 10 o'clock.
The conference on the coal situa-
ton at the Rock Island club, which
opened at l o'clock yesterday after
noon, did not adjourn until o'clock
Practically all of the local coal deal
ers were in attendance, along witt
merchants and railroad officials.
By actual check at 8 O'Clock yester
day II was found that the local deal
ers had but 425 tons of domestic Goa
on hand. The normal demand in ROcl
Island in zero weather is one Thousand
tons day, so it can be plainly seeI
that the local supply is exhausted.
There is some slight rei:ef in sight
One coal train of 20 cars. containing
1000 tons, left Galesburg yesterda.
morning, only TO have the engine breal
down at Galva, 90 miles this side o
Galesburg. This train may not reacl
the city until tonight and then tn
coal will have to be evenly d.strib
uted over the tri-cities, as Moline ant
Davenport are as short Of coal as thi
city. Other roads have promised som
coal. but deliveries under present con
ditions are very uncertain.
Roads Short Motive Power.
1t was learned that since the gov
eminent took control of the railroad
many engines have been taken fror
both the Burlington and Rock Islam
lines and sent east to the Pennsylva
MIA and New York Central lines, tn
fuel famine hitting the east first. Thi
leaves the local roads very short c
motive power A number of engine
were disabled during the blizzard {
last week
Press dispatches today stated tha
another heavy snow storm swept Ger
trail Illinois yesterday, further tyin
up the coal mining districts.
Take Month to Recover.
One prominent railroad official said
II will take at least month of IA
yorable weather to enable the raj
roads to get back where they wei
two weeks ago" If this be true, tn
scarcity of coal will continue for som
weeks to come, although it is hope
he famine end of the situation wi
De eliminated within week.