Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-21
Officials Hear That All Bus
mess Is to Cease Follow
ing Garfield Order.
RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS
ASKED TO CLOSE DOORS
Urged No Lights or Elevators
Be Operated During
the Day.
FOOD STORES REMAIN OPEN
Severe Weather Delays Clearing Up
Of Freight Yards, Which Was
Ciiicf Purpose Sought.

WASHINGTON. January :t.-The
Eastern half OF the United states viii!
observe tomorrow generally % ioii-
day. the first OF ten heatlcss Mondays
accrccd by the government 20 conserve
coal and 20 clear congestion from the
railroads.
Although the closing order, promui-
gated by Fuel Administrator Garfield,
goes no further than TO forbid the use
pt fuel for heating. fuel adm!nistra-
tion officials expect business to cease,
and ,o-nirh, Dr. Garfield issued di-
rect request that all retail establish
mcnts except food aud drug storca.
close their doors for the day.
, Al the same time office buildings
were requested to observe the spirit
as wcll as tho letter OF tho order, ana
operate no lights or elevators. except
10 accommodate tho few exempted per-
sons who are housed in their build
ings.
Food stores. which. in The original
order. were permitted 10 remain open
only half tho day, were granted spe-
ciai dispcnsat!on tonight under which
-
/, was said tonight that the use of
ncl for lighting ,bmildinss aud for
operating their elevators probably
could hc prevented during t!sc re-
matudcr OF tho Monday holidays. In
drawing tho order ;his was overlook
cd, ana thousands vt tcicsrams have
reached the fuel administration asking
FOR ruling.
While reports 10 the fuel adminis-
tra,Iou tonight told OF an Increased
movement OF coal to householdcrs and
20 ships under tho first three days
operation OF the tivc-day factory clos
Ing order. severe weather held back the
clearing OF freight congestion. which
mas ono Of tho chief purposes sought
AZ the Office OF tho director general OF
railroads i, was said that there was
little hope for material Improvement
IN traffic conditions until the weather
moderated.
f.ncr..s were centralized to-day Oh
thc movement OF empty coal cars back
TO thc mines, and 10 the ransportatio
of bunker coal to the Atlantic sea-
board y total Of $1,000 toms ,. bun
kcr coal had arrived or was cu route
for North Atlantic ports, while lo".-
eco tons had been delivered OH tho
more was on its way. At one Southern
Dor, 30. ooD tons was delivered to-day
to ships tia; have bccn tied up for more
than week
OPERATE DAY AND NIGHT
TO FILL SHIP HuNkF:Rs
At both Northern and Southern ports
the organization and machinery ior
bunkcrinr vessels was operated All last
night and to-day wherever possible.
Twenty fourhour operation will bc
continued throughout tho period Of
suspended industrial activity.
y return of snow and zero ;enpora
turcs checked the general movement
OF coal ana other freight. especially
in the Middle West.
The movement of empty coal cars
back 10 the mines has begun already
10 increase. however. according 10 re-
ports tonight from 4. II. Smith. rail
road director for the Fast. Director
General McAdoo's order cmbarsoinC
The use Of opcn-top cars for frcigh,
other than coal has released TO tho
mines about 10000 cars.
state fuel admin istrators were in
structcd by Or. Garfield day TO exert
effort to hurry the unioaGin. of ears
diverted from plants closed down for
household use and to hasten tneir
movement to the producing centers.
New dcmurrage rates, ranging from
30 to 100 per cent higher than the
present scale, will go into effect to-
morrow under an order issued by Di-
rector General Mc.Adoo, and this is en-
pected to brinE quicker release of cars
at terminals.
Hundreds Of hopper cars have been
eliminated from service because snow
;.nd ice piled between the rails caugh:
The hopper triggers and released the
load Many 6crailing accidents and
other minor wrecks were caused in this
way.
The list Of industrial concerns ex-
cmp:cd from operation of the curtail.
men, regulation had virtually been
completed Tonight From now on.
plants Will be exempted only when
1t is shown their output is needed TO
prevent a shutdown of industries al
read" excepted. Both the War and
Navy Departments have selected all
the industries turning out materials
detmeh necessary for the fighting
forces and which can be delivered
Immediately.
At the fuel administration il was
declared there had been y complete
change Of feeling i'm the country re.
garding the necessity for the curtail
mcnt of the use of coal and that CO.
operation was practically general
Hundreds of kilograms came 10 r,r
: Garfield assuring him that employees
J would he paid for their time dusinr
lie closing period Chambers OF cam.
mcrcc and manufacturing associations