Rationing Fuel and Meat in Hendersonville During World War I, 1918

"First Meatless Monday Generally Observed Here,” from the Jan. 24, 1918, issue of the French Broad Hustler

Local Administrator Oates Advises People Anticipate Needs

The first “meatless” Monday under the fuel administrator’s orders was generally observed in Hendersonville. Grocery stores remained open until noon and drug stores throughout the day.

The state fuel administrator ruled that the industries could run on electrical power created by water on the five days set apart by the government, beginning with Thursday, but the operations of the local plants were somewhat limited in the interest of conserving coal.

The local fuel administrator, R.M. Oates, requests the Hustler to announce that all grocery stores will close on the following nine Mondays unless a revision of the order is made, at 12 o’clock. He advises the people to do their grocery shopping on Saturday if possible and not make Monday too busy with the grocers because they will be compelled to close at noon in compliance with the government’s orders.

Hendersonville is not suffering for coal, all of which has to be ordered through the local administrator. Some of the purchasers are refusing to use the grade of coal delivered but it does not take them long to ascertain the folly of such a course because it is eventually a matter of being glad to get what the government authorities can give them under the new order of things.