The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-12-04
.S()F ' COAL
 NEEDED IN TIIIE: WEST
Distributors Agree That New England Is Better Of Than Other Sections of the Country.

Boston, Dec. 4-Reports that soft coal ordered for New Eng land might be diverted to west ern cities caused some concern today among large consumers here although distributors agreed that the district was bet ter off as regards it's supply than some other sections.
 Several manufac curing centers re- ported that the fuel on hand would last less than a month under the present rate of distribution.
 William A. Clark, president of the New England Coal Dealers associa- tion, said that while this district had been more fortunate than many oth- CTS, scattered manufacturing plants were beginning to feel the shortage.
 The Rockingham Electric Light & Power Co.,, which supplies Ports mouth and Dover 1z H., and the lines of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.,, running into Dover, and Nashua, Hayerhiu New buryport, Northamesbury and Low ell, notified its consumers that it's fuel would be exhausted in week and that 1t was unable to obtain 8 new supply.
 Preparations for conserving fuel supplies went forward today over vir- tually the entire Western country as the dwindling coal reserves caused incidental discomfort and disruption of industry.
 No immediate relief through a re- turn to work of bituminous miners who went on strike 34 days ago was in sight, although the larger coal oper- ators were ready today to submit a new wage scale which it was said | would contain more liberal conces- i sions to the miners than tie 14 per cent. increase proposed by Fuel Ad- i mfnistrator Garfield.
 Some of the larger cities today for l the first time since the walkout was called felt the stress of the situation From additional cities and towns of | the west and southwest some of them entirely without fuel, came reports of actual suffering. In three Nebraska l towns fence-posts and ear corn were | being burned.
 I In Kansas an apprecia;ble amount of fuel was being brought from the surface mines by volunteers working ! under protection of state and federal would be operated by the state, a statement by the governor said unless the miners returned to work under the terms offered them. One company of state miiltianen already was on duty in the vicinity of the Missouri surface mines and three additional companies were ordered there.
 Contradictory reports as to the number of coal mines which operated yesterday in the Kanawha fields, 1 West Virginia, were received today by operators and the union. Accord ! ing to figures from the Kanawha op- eretors' association, 30 mines work ! ed in that field Wednesday, a gain of
 five over the previous day.
 The fuel situation in the Pittsburgh
 district took on a more serious aspect
 today when officials of the federal
 fuel administration here made pub-
 lie an order cutting off coal supplies
 to many industries. Under the order, permits for coal will be issued only
 to the first five consumers on the
 governments essential list, including
 railroads federal, state and county
 departments, public utilities and re-
 tailers
 Volunteers for work in the mines of nearby states were still registering
 in Nebraska today. It also was said
 that wyoming faced possibility ot volunteer mining under protection of troops. Calls were issued for ex-ser- vice men to mobilize to work in the mines and additional troops were sent from Cheyenne to protect miners who wished to work.
 Iowa mine operators served notice on union workers that unless they re-
 turned to work on December 8, the
 mines would be opened to any com
 petent labor
 From Iowa, Montana, Western Kan
 sas and Nebraska came chief com
 pIaints of suffering rom the fuel
 shortage.
 7 At Butte, Mont, scores of old build : Iings were to be torn down to provide fuel for needy families. the wood to be provided without cost.
 I In Chicago a, 1-2 hour working day ' in virtually all industries, effective l tomorrow, had been decreed by the state public utilities commission. The [ order also carried drastic provisions 7 for reducing transportation, curtail- nent of amusements, Initiating dis l play lights, lowering of temperatures 3 in surface and elevated cars and cut ting off of elevators.