Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-12-09
KANSAS VOLUNTEERS
DIG COAL IN GOLD
Thousand Young Men Defy Biz
zard to Save State.
CHICAGO SCHOOLS STAY OPEN
Regional Fuel Committee Also Gives
Reprieve to Churches and Thea
tiers in Naming Industries to
Get Coal.

Pittsburg, Kan, Dec. 3.-In the face
of a blizzard that ordinarily would
have brought halt to work in the
strip pit mines of the Pittsburg coal
field, the volunteer coal diggers of
Kansas leaped into the pits when the
whistle blew for work and began turn
ing out fuel.
There YVES the hum of industry
around the pits that had been lacking
since the strike of bitumiOus coal
miners more than month ago. Aug
mented by a force of 600 additional
volunteers, who arrived on early trains,
making 1000 in all, the husky young
men drove their picks deep into the
layers of fuel and tore loose Jumps
that weighed as much as 800 pounds.
Empty wagons clattered over the
frozen roads, while others rumbled
heavily under their loads of fuel.
The volunteer workers, most of them
accustomed to outdoor life during serv-
ice overseas, slept in tents with frigid
winds whistling around the corners
and sitting sleet and snow through
riffs in the canvas or through cracks
about the dorways.
Nebraska Calls for Volunteers.
Lincoln, Neb., Dec. 3.-With tenn
peratures in Nebraska reaching as low
as II below zero and the fuel situation
rapidly growing more acute, Governor
McKelvie called for volunteers to
serve, if necessary, as miners in the
states from which Nebraska obtains
it's fuel supplies. Several hundred state
university students pledged themselves
to work in the mines if needed.
Cuts Off All NonessentiaIs.
st. Louis, Dec. 3.-Sweeping fuel
conservation measures were issued by
the southwest regional coal committee.
They include restricting the hours Of
all retail stores, except drug stores and
residential district grocery stores, to
between 8 a. m. and p. m. daily.
Churches Given Reprieve.
Chicago, Dec. 3.-Churches, schools,
theaters and public buildings were
given reprieve by the Chicago fuel
committee in an order closing nones-
sential plants and placing the city on
a rigid wartime coal ration.
The order is directed at all industry
in the Chicago district, closing all
plants except those specifically ex-
empted. Exemptions were determined
after a conference with representa-
tives of the utilities companies, the
Association of Commerce, the Illinois
Manufacturers association and the
Retail Store Owners association.
The order, interpreted by the re-
gional coal committee as exempting
schools, churches and other public in
situations from the curtailment of
fuel supply and consequent closing,
follows:
Directions to Dealers
In order to conserve coal to the
greatest possible extent, effective at
once, coal dealers are directed to con-
fine the delivery of coal as follows:
1. Army, navy or other branches
of the federal government.
2. State, county and municipal in
situations and private hospitals.
3. Public utilities (plants furnish
ing light, heat, water, power, trans
portation), manufacturers and users
of newsprint paper.
A. Public buildings, offices, stores,
bakeries, laundries, residences, apart
ment buildings and other buildings
housing families.
3. Cold-StOrage plants.
6. Creameries, milk bOttling and
milk canning factories.
Z. Refiners of petroleum.
s. Plants not included in above
list. only to extent necessary to pro- |
tect against fire and freezing.
"These instructions to apply on
coal now on hand in yards and here
after released" the order says.
dealers will not deliver coal to
any consumer in any of the above
classes, having supply on hand
equal to one weeks requirements.
sit is understood that local coal
committees and local fuel administra-
tors, where appointed, will cooper
ate with railroad agents in picking |
applications for the release of coal |
will supervise the distribution by re-
tail dealers, the use of power by pub
lie utilities. and take such other ac-
ton as in their opinion is necessary
to insure the carrying out of the pro-
visions Of the order issued December |
1 by DR.. Harry A. Garfield, United |
States fuel administrator. quoted be-