The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-08-25
Communicated.
The School Trustees and the BodiRm
Mining Company.

3
Mining Company.
To the Citizens Of the City Of EUanspiAe:
GENTLEMEN IL purpose to be as brief as
possible. The Bodiam Mining Company
| expended in the construction of their works
nearly $40, 900; and since they have been in
operation they have paid out for wages and
otherwise from $4,000 to $4,000 q year;
which labor amounts are increased or d.
minished according as you patronize the
mines. a.e
You know your own interests best, and
can serve them as you think expedient. 1,
individually, would now ask you for your
patronage, feeling assured that you will give
US as fair share as you have done hitherto,
and for which now thank you.
OF course those who sell Pittsburg and
other Goals, will do their best for their own
trades, and should they be enabled to drive
a fourishing business, there is no one can
have ought against it.
Citizens: My object in addressing you
has no relation to yourselves Individually,
or TO those who vend their Goals, but sim
ply to enlighten you upon the mode in which
your school Trustees act in reference to the
supplying of the several schools with coal
Now, my friends, will first simply state
that the Bodiam mines is an institution of
your own; that the prOprietorS thereof have
freely expended the amounts above set
forth that they have never as yet received
one single cent as dividends, but, on the
other hand, the whole amount has gone into
your pocket-stop the mines and you lose
100000 year. The mines or stock have
never been taxed to either city OF county,
for the reason that they have never paid
any thing, and are therefore valueless in the
market. Support the Mines and you will
soon make them pay and at such time your
taxes will be lessened in proportion to the
amount of the value of the stock.
The above matters are for your considera-
ton as citizens, but my main object in ad-
dressing you through these columns is this /:
Year after year we have tried, and tried in
vain to get the School Trustees, order for coal,
amounting to somewhere about 300 bushels.
At first we had it, but for some years it has
been given to others. This season we Of
tered to deliver, during the present month
of August, their coal at &c payable the
1st January 1861, and yet they gave the
preference to Pittsburg at l3c-equaI to
nearly so per cent advance on our price. The
whole of the &c would have been returned
into your own pockets, whereas, barring a
small profit to the seller of the Pittsburg |
coal, all the remainder of the 13c will have |
been expended on the river and gone to en-
rich Pittsburg.
Are your children for whom the coal is |
purchased so fastidious and have they been /
reared in such luxury that it is necessary |
that nothing but the highest priced article |
would suit them? If so-why are they |
made to sit on wooden seats when they would I
be more comfortable on stuffed cushions |
covered with satin or velvet.
If you permit your trustees to counten-
ance such extravagance, there is no use in
your complaining as is daily your custom of /
your heavy taxes.
claim as a right that the cheapest article
consistent with its usefulness and suitable /
ness ought to be bought, and surely if the
Bodiam Mines coal is good enough for most
of the Citizens of Evansville with their /
handsome houses and SPLENDID furniture,
there can be no doubt but that it is suitable
for the bare walls of a School Room.
| leave the matter in your hands, feeling
convinced have done what is my duty in
exposing such extravaganza as l have set
forth above.
WILLIAM KERsTEMAN.
N. B. sending Goals to Newcastle It
does look very like it,