The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-12-04
FENCE-POSTS
USED FOR FUEL
In Some Nebraska Towns
They Are Even Burn
ing Ear Corn
CITIES ENTIRELY
WITHOUT FUEL.
Larger Operators Are Said
to Be Ready to Give
More Concessions

Chicago, Dec. Preparations for
conserving fuel supplies went forward
to-day over virtually the entire eoun-
try as the dwindhng coal reserves
caused incidental discomfort and dis
ruption of industry.
No immediate relief through re-
turn to work of bituminous miners
who went on strike "a days ago was in
sight, although the larger coal opera
tors were ready to submit new wage
scale which, it was said, would contain
more liberal concession to the miners
than the IA per cent increase proposed
by Fuel Administrator Garfield
Some Of the larger cities to-day for
the first time since the waIkout felt
the stress Of the situation. From other
cities and towns of the west and south.
west, some OF them entirely without
fuel, came reports OF actual suffering
In three Nebraska towns fence posts
and ear corn were being burned.
Governors OF three states, Carey Of
Wyoming, McKelvie of Nebraska and
Shoup of Colorado. conferred to-day al
Denver to work out some plan for q
satisfactory distribution of coal. "
There was no official comment on the
action Of the federal court at Indian.
apolis in citing "a general and district
officials of the United Mine Workers
OF America for contempt of the order
calling off the strike. Application fol
that step was made by department Of
| justice agents. The officials will he
! given a hearing Tuesday.
Despite labor trouble in the New
River fields West Virginia continued tc
be the nations chief producer Of soft
coal.
In Kansas an appreciate amount Of
fuel was being brought from the sur,
| face mines by volunteers working un
der protection of state and fedora
troops Similar mines in Missouri will
be operated by the state, a statement
| by the governor said, unless the miners
returned to work by tonight under the
terms of the settlement. A company
Of state militiamen already was or
duty in the vicinity Of the Missouri
surface mines and three additional com.
| panies were ordered there
Volunteers for work in the mines oil
nearby states still were registering ii
Nebraska to-day. It also was said that
Wyoming faced the possibility Of vol
unteer mining under protection Of
/ troops
Iowa mine operators served notice
on union workers that unless they re.
turned 10 work on Dec. the mines
would be opened to any competent la.
| Dor
Some operators maintained their at.
| titude, however, of not desiring their
properties worked by inexperienced
men They claimed it was hazard.
Gus occupation and pointed to the
deaths OF six men and serious injury OF
three others yesterday at Boyle mine
/ No. 3, Jacksonville, Ind
| As the coal shortage grows there
have been numerous complaints OF
proliteering on substitutes The south,
west regional coal committee to-day
/ had requested Fuel Administrator Gar
/ field TO order that prices prevalent al
the beginning Of the strike be maxi
mum charges for fuel oil At Other
places it was alleged dealers were
charging exorbitant prices for wood
! From Iowa, Montana, western Kan
sas and Nebraska came chief com
plants Of suffering from the fuel short
age. At Butte, Mont, scores of ole
buildings were to be torn down to pro
vide fuel for needy families,
In Chicago six and one half houl
working day in virtually all industries
effective tomorrow, has been decreeC
by the state public utilities commits
t.sion The order also carried drasti,
provisions for reducing transportation
curtailment OF amuseHents, eliminat
ing display lights, lowering of tempera
lures in surface and elevated cars ant
cutting of of elevators,