The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-12-03
SOUTHEAST HARD
HIT BY ORDER TO
SAVE COAL SUPPLY

MR CUAL SUPPLY
Discovery through newspaper dis
patches from st. Louis that the South
west territory has been put under coal
saving restrictions much more lenlent
than those which the Southeast section
has been made to conform TO, has ellie
tied vigorous protest from the Mem
phis Associated Retailers. These dis
patches stated that the regional fuel
director. Gor the Southwest had fixed the
hours during which the merchants in
st. Louis and other places in the South
west region may remain open from
am, to . pm. while Memphis and other
Southeastern territory merchants may
remain open only from am, to 4 pm,
enjoying only seven hour day as COM
rared to an eight-hou day, and losing
the one hour which Is worth any other
three, so far as trade Is concerned,
Hays Flowers, secretary of the retail
ers' association, telegraphed Congress-
man Hubert r. Fisher Wednesday, call
ing the latter's attention to the dis
he take up Immediately the question Of
fair play with the national fuel admlnls-
tration.
memphis merchants" Mr.. Flowers
said relative TO his protest do not de-
sire any favors They pre- willing to
make any sacrifices that are fair, but
they do not want to submit to such
discrlminati9a % this. There is no
reason wh5st merchants in Memphis
should be forced to reduce their bust
ness day to seven hours, while St Louis
merchants remain open eight. II there
are to be any differences in hours, II
would be much fairer and more logical
n ha or
Coal Is passing through Memphis from
the Alabama and other Southern fields
to the st. Louis and Southwest terri
tory, and furthermore the comparative
mildness of our climate enables us to
get more heat but Of given unit of
coal than st. Louis can. We could keep
our stores open longer than st. Louis
merchants and yet not burn as much
coal
The seven hour day is proving very
onerous burden to the Memphis mer-
chants, Mr.. Flowers said, 1T is hurt
ing; it is impossible to say just how
much at this time; but it is hurting a
great deal" he said
Reserve Increases.
The reserve coal supply in the Mem
phis terminal subject to award for To-
! cal consumption jumped to 3l4 cars
Wednesday, as compared with 259 cars
uSSuHN, an luCIeHSe OF % cars, ana
the local saving of coal at the Memphis
Gas and Electric company's plant was
between 80 and GO tons, as compared
with between 40 and so tons for the
| first day following the adoption of the
| conservation measures. The electric
| company's records showed an appreci-
able saving in electric current during
| the daylight hours Wednesday, as COM
| pared with Wednesday Of two weeks
| ago, The records for last Wednesday
were not considered fair for eompari-
| son because of different weather con-
| ditions.
The coal saved by shutting off heat IN
| the office buildings from pm, to .
am. was estimated at from two tC
three tons per day for the larger office
| buildings.
| Although no local fuel administrator
| has been appointed here with the
| specific duty OF interpreting and en-
| forcing the conservation measures, the
| strictest observance of the rulings has
been practiced by the people here, SC
| far as can be noted.
Memphis is now the great coal gate.
way Of the South. A large part OF this
| present heavy movement OF coal from
the South and Southeast to West and
Southwest Is now being routed through
| Memphis.
| Approximately 25 to 80 heavy trains
of coal, carrying In the neighborhoot
of 500 to possibly 700 cars Of coal, are
the coal fields Of Alabama, the Viz
ginias. East Tennessee, West Ken
| lucky and Illinois coal Is passnl
through this city to supply the need
of Texas, Arkansas Oklahoma and a.
far west as Kansas City.
Shipments Heavier.
The Frisco is concentrating its effort
largely on the movement Of coal from
the Alabama fields, where production
has been effected by the strike perhaps
as little as any section. The temporar,
embargoes on dead freight existing oil
the Frisco were not issued so much t,
4 save fuel as to enable the line to facili
tate the movement of coal and return
the empty coal cars, From eight Il
ten coal trains a day, with about q
the Frisco into Memphis, besides from
four to six additional trains that ar
being turned over to connecting line
at Aberdeen, Holly Springs, Tupelo ant
New Albany.
The Southern railway Is moving al
equally great volume Of coal from Eas
Tennessee and the Virginias. On on
day the Southern ~ said to have han
died Is trains of coal into Memphis
Likewise the l., e. n. railroad Is han
ding capacity traffic Of coal from
West Kentucky mines. The lllinol
Central Is also handling big shipment
OF coal, the extent Of which could no
be definitely learned.
There Is not an hour In the day tina
heavy coal train does not move int
Memphis, railway men say.
The west side lines pick up the Goa
here and carry II on to its destination
in the West and Southwest. Tn
Frisco also shares in the Western move
ment, carrying coal as far as Kansa
City. The Missouri Pacific and Cottoi
Belt lines are handling many trains
day. as well as the Illinois Central, I
parts of the South,
Practically none Of the coal remain
In Memphis except what Is required TO
the use OF the railroads here. and
relatively small number Of cars tina
are being awarded TO local essential in
dustries and retail dealers for domesti
consumption. large per cent OF tn
coal Is for the use OF the railroads i
the Southwestern region.