East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-12-10
Real Suffering From Fuel Fam
inc Yet Unknown Here, But
Outlook is Alarming Unless
Relief is Forthcoming
800 CORDS OF WOOD AT
MEACHAM UNAVAILABLE
Every Industrial Plant Using
Electrical Power Today Re-
CeiveS Orders to Cease Con-
sumption; Mills Close.

No one In Pendleton is actually suf.
fering today from the shortage oi
fuel but they will be unless immediate
relief In forthcoming. according TO L.
T.. Chloupek. of Smythe- Lonergan
Company. The entire supply OF wood
I'm Pendieton would be exhausted by
tomorrow night II delivery could be
made on the orders now held by the
fuel concerns having wood
Urgent wires were dispatched yes
terday TO the regional fuel director by
Mayor John l.. Vaughan. asking the
release OF two carloads of coal which
have been held in the local yards for
several days One of these is con
signed to the Van Petten Lumber
Company and another to Walla Walla.
There are three cars OF coal in all in
the yards here.
Meacham Wood Unavailable.
Three hundred cords OF wood nj
Meacham, which was owned by the
Smythe-Ionergan company cannot he
touched because II is sold under con-
tract to lime factory in the Will
lamette valley. The only way In
which this can be made available for
local use is by communicating order
from the regional fuel director.
Two carloads OF yellow pine were
>
the Oregon Lumber Yard and quickly
disposed of TO fill advance orders. The
20 tons of coal turned over to the
Smythe- Lonergan Company by the
school district for distribution, was
enough to serve only half the demands
for IL. No coal was issued to anyone
not entirely without fuel.
Even " the coal strike were settled
today IT would be four weeks before 4
anywhere near normal conditions /
could be resumed, one dealer said to-
day. The only hope would be in the .
diversion of coal already in various !
concentration spots to use here and 4
elsewhere.
The O-W. II. & n. railroad is re-
ported to have between rs and 80 car
loads of coal at Rieth and supply
sufficient for 30 days operation at its
various division points. The Oregon
Short Line, however, is down to Z or
days supply and its needs probably
would have to be filled before the
railroad here could divert any fuel to
public use.
Mills Closed.
Every industrial plant in Pendle-
ton using electrical power received
orders today to cease using either coal
or electricity for operating. The order
is virtually a closing edict for all the
flour, lumber and wooden mills in the
district.
In keeping with the order, the PEN
dleton Woolen Mills. Oregon Lumber
Yard, Burroughs planning mill. and
other plants were obliged TO close
their doors today. Any which can
operate with water power may con-
tnue TO keep open. Tho order clos
ing plants is the result of the freezing
of water generating power at the Wal
Ia Walla and To ppenfsh plants of the
Pacific Power g. Light Company
These plants arc now being operated
by fuel of which they have only an
emergency supply
No street lights, electric signs nor
window display lights in stores shall
he burning between and o'clock
each afternoon, according to the or
der. This will affect all business con-
Germs in the city and must be rigid
ly enforced. owing to the fact that the Il
peak load on the power lines comes
between those hours,