Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-29
Emergency Fuel Conservation
Rule Put Into Effect Yester-
day, When Crisis Was
Reached With Cold Wave.
CHURCHES WILL NOT Be
CLOSED NEXT SUNDAY
Street Car Service Will Be
curtaiIed rs Per Cent-CoaI
Train Expected Today Will
Benefit But Little.

The drastic order for coal conser-
vation issued yesterday afternoon by
w. M. Jeffers. chairman of the ter
minal coal committee, entails the
following:
Closing of every public and pa
rochial school in the city.
Curtailing of Is per cent OF the
street car service except during
rush hours.
Closing down of every nonessen-
tial industry in the city.
Establishing OF strict ban on
coal deliveries to the great packing
industries on the South Side.
Shorter Store Hours.
Shortening of the retails stores
working day from eight to six hours.
Restricting of lighting power ex-
cept where it is absolutely essential.
]. H. Beveridge, superintendent Of
schools, was notified of the order
late yesterday, and Immediately is
sued an order that schools will not
be reopened Monday. All night ses-
sions at schools were suspended last
week. he said.
Such coal as the schools have on
hand will be held for distribution
later, for the heating of homes and
the maintaining Of essential indus
tries.
CurtaiI Car Service.
R. A. Leussler. general manager
of the Omaha & Council Bluffs
Street Railway company, explained
that service would only be curtailed
between the hours of $3.50 a. m. and
$3.50 D. m., and after in the evening.
Although service will only be cur
tailed about rs per cent at the be-
ginning, the curtailment will become
more general as industries close
down and the need for service de-
creases, Mr.. Leuss1er said. Cars will
be taken from all lines.
H. L. Snyder. acting chairrpan of
the terminal coal committee, said in
dustries that are to be classed as
nonessentlal are those below fifth
place on the priority list issued re-
Gently by the fuel administration.
The list is in the following order:
Railroads, army. navy and other de-
partmen.s of the federal govern
ment; state and county departments;
public utilities and manufac cturing
plants on the war industries boards
preference list. Manufacturing plants
not on the war industries boards
preference HIST are sixth on te list
and jobbers and lake and tidewater
coal comes seventh.
Define Nonessentials.
]. E. Davidson, member of the
terminal coal committee, said the
term nonessential as applied to in
dustry means factories not produc-
ing necessary food or clothing.
Mr.. Davidson, who is vice presi-
dent of the Nebraska Power COM
pany, said no definite instructions
had been given the company re-
lative to the reduction of light to
save fuel. Less light~w be used
after the order has taken effect in
the city, he said.
Large packers on the South Side
declare that their plants will not be
closed down as result of the order
stopping their coal supply. The
larger plants have all installed oil
heating plants.
Ministers Call Meeting.
The president of the ministerial
union announced last night that he
had conferred with Mr.. Jeffers and
found that report in another paper
to the effect that churches would be
closed this Sunday was absolutely
false. Churches will be allowed to,
remain open tomorrow, he said
The ministerial union will hold a
this morning to determine
the future action to be taken by the
Of the city. Il
With the. abrupt termination of
for settlement of the
uation in Omaha yesterday assumed
a most menacing aspect. The coal
supply in Omaha was-lower yester-
day than it has ever been before.
coal men say.
: To add to the seriousness of the
situation. w. NJ. Jeffers, general
of the Union Pacific rail
road, who returned from Wyoming .
Thursday, announced that the sup
ply of coal in smaller towns in all !
parts of the state is extremely !
low"
1t will require all the efforts of !
the Union Pacific railroad to keep
If
Fers said, especially during the pres
ent unfavorable weather conditions.
Burlington and Union Pacific
weather reports show heavy snow
tall and zero weather prevailing :
throughout the state.
Theater Managers Optimistic. :
Theater managers plan to present \
4 statement to the committee show g
ng that lighting power and fuel i