Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-23
Order Stopping Delivery to
NonessentiaIs Hits Omaha
Churches, Schools and Places
Of Amusement Hard.
THOUSANDS FACED WITH
POSSIBLE UNEMPLOYMENT
School Officials Take Serious
Cognizgnce Of Coal Situation
Railroad Heads Continue
To Be Optimistic.

10 BE UplImiSllC.
The full force of the coal situa-
ton began TO be impressed on Oma-
la yesterday when most of the
large theaters were deprived Of
heat, some of the departments at
the packing houses closed, public
school officials taking serious cog
tiizance of the situation, and many
industrial plants running on a mar
row margin Of fuel.
Deliveries of coal have been
stopped to schools, churches. places
of amusement sad nonessential in
dustries. The terminal coal COM
mittee is endeavoring to distribute
the supply in the most essential di-
rections and to promote conserva-
ton in every way possible.
Although optimism seems to pre-
vail as to an early resumption of
mining. it is also stated that it
would be a period of days and per-
haps weeks before normal condi
tons could be restored, even
should an immediate restoration of
production be accomplished. ..
The coal committee is taking the
situation as it exists at the present
time and that mean, that Omaha's
coal supply is being depleted to the
point of serious thinking.
Three Days of School.
One of the large packing plants
yesterday closed its soap and
canned goods department, where
$50 workers were employed. In
several of the plants arrangements
are being made for burning oil.
The coming school week will be
only three days, on account of the
Thanksgiving vacation. The supply
of coal on hand will run the schools
through the following week. unless
a cold spell should occur. Coal has
been transferred from some of the
schools, as for instance, fifteen tons
was moved from Lake to Howard
Kennedy school yesterday. Evening
school sessions and community CEN
ter meetings have been discontinued
in the schools.
"The coal situation is serious and
we feel it, said ]. H. Beveridge, su-
perintendent of schools.
Mild weather is favorine most of
the large theaters from which heat
has been cut off.
Rev. Conrad Bilgery, superintend-
ent of Creighton university, esti-
mated that his institution has
enough coal to last to January !.
The churches have varying
amounts of coal, which, If conserved,
will provide sufficient hea- for pc
riod of weeks. The abandonment Of
midweek services is being con-
sidered
Workers Face Idlcness.
Several thousand employees of the
South Side packing plants are fac
ing the possibility of being thrown
out of employment as a result of the
critical coal shortage.
Two large departments of the
Cudahy Packing Co., South Side,
were closed yesterday owing to a
lack of coal The two departments,
which produced soap and canned
goods. employed $50 people.
"We have only a two-day coal
supply on hand" said M. R. Muir
ply, general manager of the Cudahy
plant, 'and it was absolutely neces-
sary to shut down the two depart
ments. We are installing equipment
to burn oil and hope to have it
completed before our supply is en-
tirely exhausted. A packing plant
can't run without coal, however"
11"w Days Supply.
R. c. Howe. general manager OF
the Armour licking company, said
yesterday that ll:S company had only
"few days" supply OF coal on
hand.
I'VE are burning oil, but we must
have coal to keep the plant going,
he said. 1--WE have some coal con-
signed to us which we have not yet
received, but even that will not help
us unless it arrives at once
o. D. Maybery OF Swift & Co.
also reported that his company was
running short of coal. we have
few days supply, he said, but no
prospects of getting more" ,
H. L. Snyder, acting chairman OF
the terminal coal committee, said
the situation here had not improved
yesterday. The COMMITTEES is receiv-
ing applications for coal from pri-
vate individuals in large quantities.
Rail Men Optimistic.
Burlington and Union Pacific
railroad officials are taking a more
optimistic view OF the situation to-
day. Mines are producing almost
the normal amount on the Burling-
ton system in Wyoming, according
to reports, and miners have returned
to work in Utah.
Two hundred and ninety-six cars
of coal were loaded from Union Pa
\