The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-12-05
CLOSING ORDERS EXPLAINED
BY REGIONAL COAL COMMITTEE
Fact That City Gets Electric Power
Without Aid of Quantity of Coal
Will Not Relieve it Of Respon-
i. sibility for Early Suspension
of Business.

vent coal famine Apply diIhe W ~
dustries, stores and business houses
actually burning coal, oil or oCher
Iuel III their plants and those using
electric power whether hydco-elec-
trio or steam, the regional coal
committee of the Southern region
announced here late tonight.
The committee stated that hydro
, electric power already is being dl-
verted to distant communities de-
pending ordinarily on steam pro-
duced electricity.
The committee relaxed its regula-
tions, however, to permit grocery
and meat stores and milk depots to
remain open until p. m., daily ex-
cept Saturday when their closing
hour is 8 p. m.
chants coming under the classes clos
ing at A p. M, that they be permitted
to remain open after that hour pro-
vided they used only candles or kero-
sene for light and no heat.
The committee late TO-DAY accepted
an offer of the local Boy Scouts to do
:'police duty" in connection with the
regulations and it was expected SINH
lar action would be taken in other
Southern cities.
Requests for Information.
In response to hundreds OF requests
for interpretations from every section
of the territory east of the Mississippi
and south of the Potomac, except
the Virginias, which is affected by
the war time regulations, the COM
mittee late tonight issued the fol-
lowing summary Of it's rulings:
"The regulations apply alike to in
dustries, stores and business houses
actually burning coal, oil or other
fuel in their plants and to those US
ing electric power whether hydro
electric or steam. This question was
given most serious consideration. The
decision was based, both upon the
well known fact that most of the
hydro-electric utilities consume a GER
tain amount of coal varying with the
amount of water power available, and
upon the conviction that to make any
exception would involve indefenslble
determinations and endanger the
whole plan of conservation, the exc
cution of.which is imperative for the
safety of the country. In this con-
nection it may be stated that hydro,
electric power now is being diverted
under direction of this committee
from various points of production to
distant communities where users
are largely dependent upon steam
produced electricity and, therefore
power saved by the restrictions at
points Of production is saving coal
elsewhere. /
Operation Of laundries and
cleaning plants is considered essen
tial from the standpoint Of pubic
health: therefore the restrictions 90
not apply to such establishments.
Extension for Grocers. ]
sThe committee was convinced OF
the necessity for extending the hours
of business of grocer and meat stores
and milk depots and modification of
the regulations was issued permit
ting such places of business to re-
main open until p. M, daily except !!
Saturday when their closing hours |;
are p. m.
ssMany merchants and others urged
that they be allowed to open before
8 a. m. and close later than p. m. /
on condition that they used no light
or heat or used candles or kerosene !
lamps. No exception of this kind can
be made. Any exception would re-
suit in discrimination and tend to |
nullify efforts to enforce the regu!a-
tions.
s'Dance halls are classed as places
of ,11hlic amusement
'sPool and billiard rooms, bowling !
alleys, shooting galleries and similar
establishments are classed as places .
of public amusement. The manage
ments of such places, where cigars, !
tobacco or soft drinks stands are
maintained may, if they desire, opeT-
ate u-c5er the regulations applying to .
merchants. If 50 they can not call ,
themselves places of public amuse- !,
ment or observe the hours fixed or !
such places. Those who elect to be
classed as public amusements will not
be permitted to run their cigar and
obacco or soft drink stands after
p. m. -.
"Cigar and newsstands and public
places will be required to observe
hours fixed for mercantile estab-
lishments except that such stands NAV
open for the sale Of newspapers and
periodicals without rescricelons.
ssPackers and other wholesale
handlers of perishable food products
IRE regarded as excepted from the
regulation so far as may be neces-
sary for the proper conduct OF their
business.
Service of Food.
s'Fruit stands and confectloners
will be required to observe the same
hours as other stores. When sand
,yiches or food is served at such
stands or at soft drink Or cigar and
tobacco and department stores, such
stands or departments may open be-
ore 9 a. m. and close after 4 p. n,
solely for the purpose of serving
food. No drink Except coffee, tea
or milk no tobacco, or other things
except food shall be sold at such
1,oe ovoont hotueon a M and