The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-12-09
|COAL RATIONINC
MORE STRINCENT'
SWoop Of Low Temperature
Finds Fuel Supplies A.
most Exhausted.
TRAINS STALL IN SNOW
Pastures Buried in Ice, Range
Cattle Are Endangered.
Miners Await Action.

Chicago, Dec. IA. P)-Hope Of
paving the way for final settlement
of the bituminous coal miners
strike today turned to indianapolis.
as an extension of stringent fuel
administration rationing orders re-
duced the nations industries virtually
to one-half time basis. The most
severe weather of the winter. with
temperatures below zero and further
depletion OF the diminished coal re-
serve, gripped nearly all OF the
country west OF the Mississippi river
with a spread southwark and east
ward forecast for tomorrow and
Thursday.
Districts where the fuel reserve
virtually was exhausted were chief
sufferers today from the swoop Of
low temperatures. At Butte, MontS
| with 80 degrees below zero, hundreds
were reported in distress, suffering
from hunge and cold.
| Zero temperatures spread over Coll
orado. Wyoi ing. Nebraska, Kansas.
| Missouri. Wisconsin, Minnesota, the
| Daktoas Northern Iowa and parts oE
other western states.
Severe interference with the nova
ment of coal from the Colorado mines
was caused by the cold, tempera-
lures In that state ranging from Il
to II degrees below zero. s
In Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas ana
Oklahoma, where mining by voliin-
teers from surface deposits either
was going on or In prospect. 1t was
reported such work probably would
be Impossible In the face of the ad-
verse weather conditions. In Kan
sas, where it was hoped soon to see
100 carloads of fuel day taken out
mines for several days have been
worked under circumstances that
heretofore had caused cessation Of
labor.
Should the cold snap be protracted
In these states reports said much
4 SUFFERING might be expected.
Drizzling snow accompanied tho
falling temperatures in some places
and In Monta..a train stalled Sum
day at Sheridan. still was fast In
6-foot drift. The passengers were
taken into the town, however. s1S
At Lander, Wyo., it was 81 degrees
below zero: 26 below at Livingston,
Mont, with 25 below reported from
various places in eastern Oregon.
Great Falls. Mont, was believed to
be the coldest place in the country,
however, with a. thermometer read
Ing Of 33 degrees below zero.
Pastures in the western country
were reported buried under ice and
much suffering by range cattle and
other exposed animals was feared.
AT the coal mines throughout the
country the past twenty-four hours
recorded virtually no change In the
general situation. The miners looked
with interest toward Indianapolis for
direction as to the next step in their
walk out.
In addition to the drastic measures
put into effect by the fuel administra-
ton to conserve the bituminous coal
supply or the nation, the railroad ad-
ministration made further sweeping
cuts In passenger trains.
GarfieId's Orders.
Dr. GARFIELD, fuel administrator.
looking with apprehension upon the
growing shortage of bituminous coal
mas put in force regulations restrfct-
ing the use of coal to the most es-
sential needs.
All lights. other than those
necessary for the safety of the
public, have been ordered dis
continued. Cabarets, dance halls
ana pool rooms are allowed to be
open only from s p. m. until IL
p. m. stores. with the exception
VI 'hNSC oNliiilS lOOus IuuSC not
use light longer than six hours a
day.
Manufacturing plants are al
lowed to use light only so long as
they are allowed to use power.
Drug stores and restaurants
are ordered to reduce their light
ing one-half.
Lights in Office buildings are
ordered cut off at p. m, with
the exception of those offices
necessary to the maintenance of
a vital industry.
Orders have been issued to
maintain heat only to an average
of 6S degrees Fahrenheit.
With these drastic regulations
put in force Fuel Administrator
Garfield believes that if the coal
strike is settled today the ma
tion will rapidly recover from the
shortage which has been brought
on by the strike.