The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-14
.HEATLESS MONDAY
ORDER SUSPENDED
BY DR.. GARFIELD
General Holiday Ruling is Withdrawn and Ques-
ton is Placed Before Local Administrators for
Determnaton-Ne England May Continue
Holidays for Some Time

Washington, Feb. 14-Fuel Admin
istrator Garfield yesterday announced
the suspension of the heatless Mon
days order. But he said State Fuel
Administrators will have authority to
keep the closing program In effect in
any states where the fuel conditions
seem to demand it.
The only section where this discre-
ton probably will be exercised is in
New England. James J. Storrow,
special representative of the Fuel
Administration for New England,
has been called to Washington. 1t is
understood he will recommend that
the Monday closing order be kept in
force in New England, where fuel
conditions are still critical.
Reports received at the Fuel Ad-
ministration office indicate that only
4 S75 tons of bituminous coal moved
daily through the New England gate
way for the first ten days of Febru-
airy. This is wholly inadequate.
Will Accelerate Shipments.
No surplus stocks of consequence
have been created in the New Eng
land consuming centres. The Fuel
Administration plans to exert every
energy to improve that situation by
accelerating rail transportation and
by increasing water shipments from
Hampton Roads.
With the continuation of freight
embargoes and the preferential list
for coal consumers, the Fuel Admin
istration feels that the problem will
be worked out without imposing fur
.ther the hardship of Monday clos
ing upon industries, except possibly
in New England.
Reports from all states except the
New England ones indicate genera
Improvement in the fuel situation
While the State Administrators in
eastern territory a week ago were
unanimous for the continuance of the
heatless Monday order, DR.. Garfield
said yesterday reports received from
these same men now are all for its
suspension, excepting in the case OF
New England.
This is due principally to the break
in the bad weather conditions. Trans
portation conditions have improved
to a marked degree, and the amount
of fuel consumed has been reduced.
Closing Down Resulted We'll.
DR.. Garfield said yesterday that tht
statements he is receiving from al
sections of the country convince hin
that the closing order brought uni
versal improvement in fuel condi
tions. At the same time, he admit
ted that the freight embargoes hav'
been a large factor in, the general i'm
provement.
While submitting no figures as t.
the amount of coal saved by the in
dustrial shutdown, the Fuel Admins
traitor presented figures bearing OIL
transportation congestion and the eff
feet of the order in reducing the raj
blockade on eastern lines.
On Jan. % four of the trunk line
had on sidetracks 26,953 cars abov
the normal. This congestion of car
was divided as follows: New Yorl
Central, 1875; Baltimore and Ohio
$3.50; Pennsylvania, 5,576; Erie, 5,
$50. On Feb. IL the number of car
above the normal on the side track
had been reduced, for the four line
mentioned, to 1878 distributed a
follows: New York Central, 1,134
Baltimore and Ohio, $3.50; Pennsyl
vania, 2,527; Erie, 1885.
But Must Be Still Economical.
In commenting upon the suspensio
of the Monday closing order, Directo
General of Railroads McAdoo said:
'T concur heartily in this, but
should not be assumed that there
no further necessity for economy i
the use of coal. There are still pos
sibly six weeks of winter weathe
ahead of US, perhaps with snow an
billiards. to interfere with railroa
operations. Therefore every, poun
of unnecessary traffic that we ca
keep off the railroads during tn
period will help to restore norma
conditions that much more quickl.
The general industrial activity of tn
country should becarried forward
the utmost limit that conditions wi
permit, in order that production ma
not be unnecessarily disturbed, an
that labor may not unnecessarily
deprived of employment.
1.-THE railroads are a fundamen
ally important factor in the situate
and the public may rest assured tn;
they will be operated to the limit
their capacity and that every col
ceivable effort will be made to flu
nish the amount of transportation r
Quired to sustain the country's Ii
and prosperity. With a few weel
of favorable weather I am sure tn
the railroads will be able to take ca