Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-01-12

supplies at low ebb.
ty today faced the grim
ispector of passing a coal
less Sunday while the
thermometers registered
at the lowest mark Of years. This
Notwithstanding. they hove plonty
money with which 10 buy all the fuel
their needs demand
y hundred tons Of soft Goa! was the
highest estimate placed today on the
Surplus or undelivered fuel in the
.city Under ordinary conditions and
when the weather runs 10 the aver
/ age winter temperature. the city de-
mands two hundred tons FOR the con.
sumption solely OF its residents for
home purposes. Under conditions as
they have been since last Sunday
that amount is almost doubled. While
the famine proposition has loomed
dangerously near during the past
week, dealers were able 10 circum-
vent totally deminished bin BY
careful and judicial apportlonmcnt Of
their available supply.
This morning even this precautlon
was for naught. Hundreds upon hun
dreds of people demanding that they
be furnished coal at once kept the
merchants on their toes IN an effort
70 send ont quantities sufficiently
large TO tide their patrons over Sun.
day. Deliveries finally simmered
down TO 500 pound lots and in some
cases dealers were forced to deliver
anthracite TO bituminous users.
No one in Ottawa was deserving of
more credit for their herois,n In brav-
lug the wrathy elements. than the
'men behind the shoyels." Every
teamster responded to the clarion call
and in spite of the many personal In
conyenicnceS. and In some cases dire
suffering they stayed by their wag-
ons from early morning until late at
night doing their BIT in keeping the
needy provided for The Free-Trad-
er-Journal adds their efforts to its
J hall Of fame
Relief is Distant
No relief is in sight This warn.
ing was sounded by all local merch-
ants when they were apprised Of the
i complete tieup CT the steam roads.
! Not a pound OF coal was received In
the city since Yesterday and the pros
poets are none will find its way into
Ottawa before Monday at the very
earliest, Every precaution will have
to be taken TO conserve. Conserve,
conserve. is the word being ham.
merel home in an effort 20 awaken
the people 10 a full realization OF the
situation regardless OF what any OF
their personal opinions may be as 10
whether the emergency is real or I'm
lagnary
Gas Supply Menseed,
\ new danger arose today when
Manager Mitchell OF the gas company
sounded warning for utmost conser-
walton in use OF gas Mr.. Mitchell
stated that the surplus was a. low
ebb now and with the coal situation :,
its present dangerous point, the pros.
poets were unless every precaution
was taken, the tanks would be enr-
tied entirely t., t
Library Closes.
To-day it was officially announced
that ReddIcks Library would close
down until further notice. This was
caused by depleted coal box and
desire to help in the saving OF fuel
Several churches have sent out ad-
vices that their doors would be clos
ed tomorrow aud there would be no
services Al all
Schools May No. Open.
The schools which for several days
have been threatened with closing.
arc nearer than ever to that step TO
day Fuel on hand Is no- sufficient to
mahe opening sa.e w MoAda, I'LL
less there Is a lessening OF The situa'
ton before that time-and that pros
pee is none too bright now.
Provide For Poor.
The poor OF the city are being given
close attention by phildnthropic DO
dies Every means has been provided
to safeguard the unfortunate against
freezing aud hunger This morning
none OF the charity dispensing bodies
bad received any calls for help aud II
is taken that the poor are provided
for at least until Monday. 4 feu
calls we're sent into the salvation
, Army today for clothing and wants
were Immediately cared for by the
ladies IN charge of headquarters
Storm Unabsted.