The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1918-01-22
LOCAL BUSINESS
HOUSES CLOSED
Monday Was the 0uletest Day In
the History Of Mt. Sterling
Even Though Court Day.

In compliance with the order of
United States Fuel Administrator
Garfield all business houses in this
city were closed Monday with the
exception of grocery stores, which
remained open until noon, and drug
stores, which remained open all day
for the sale of medicines only, and
all local amusement places. The
law, so far as we have been able
to learn, was strictly and patrioti-
cally obeyed. 1t became known here
Saturday that stores would be per-
mitted to remain open Mondays pro-
vided no heat was kept in the build
ings but Saturday night a telegram
was received from State Fuel Ad-
ministrator Wiley B. Bryan stating
that while stores that kept no heat
whatever might remain open Mon
day, it was their patriotic duty to
close. Upon receipt of this the
merchants Immediately got togeth-
er and unanimously decided to let
their places of business remain
closed Monday, even though it was
Court Day. Everything was at a
standstill, not even cigar or a
soft drink could be purchased.
There was never a holiday when
everything was closed as tight as it
was here Monday. There were many
people that came here Court Day
not knowing Of the order, but when
informed of same were inclined to
take it good naturally. On many
doors there were signs "Closed by
order of U. S. Fuel Administrator"
and on one store the sign read /:
"Closed-To HI with the Kaiser"
The order is for all places of bust
ness to close every Monday from
January 21st to March 25th,, few
exceptions being made to the order.
Hotels, restaurants, boarding
houses, newspapers; doctors Offices,
dentists and possibly a few other
exceptions being made. The order
applies to all the United States east
of the Mississippi river. In addi-
ton to the above order practically
all factories except those engaged
in the manufacture of foods and
war munitions were ordered closed
for five days commencing last Fri
day. This order brought forth a
storm of protest from the big man
ufacturing interests of the country,
but they were calmly told that while
the order was drastic 1T must stand
as there were thousands of ships
waiting at the docks for coal to
carry food and munitions to our
troops and allies in Europe and as
traffic was blocked for many hun
bred of miles in the East it was
absolutely essential that business
must suspend for few days in or
der that the congested condition of
the railroads might be cleared.
This order did not affect many To-
cal firms, the only ones we know of
being the two lumber mills, The
Enoch Manufacturing Co., and the
bottling works. Laundries, bakeries
and schools are not affected by
either order.
Theatres, pool rooms, bowling
alleys and all places Of amusement
were originally ordered to close on
Mondays but an order Saturday
night changed the date for the clos
ing of these places to Tuesday,
therefore they will be open on Mon
days and closed on Tuesdays for
the next ten weeks.
Although Monday was Court
Day here very small crowd was
in town, the closing order probably
keeping a large number away, how
ever the local amusement places
which were open did Gland Office
business yss1i