, 1866-01-04

1S
more than satisfied.
Your ob't serv't,
CuAs. 8. TAFrES, Gen, F't. Ae't.
A LETTER FROM ONE OF THE DE kALB
FARMERS COMMITTEE.
DE- KAIu L., Dec 20, 1855.
Editors Tribune:
I zee by the last Issue Of the 1l1ses, that
they have como to the rescue of the North
western Railroad Company. They state in
thcir editorial, first, that the Farmers Meet
inG at De Kalb had NO right to complain of
the Railroad Company, because Mr.. Dunlap
stated that they had mnle contrnct with
the warehouse men for three years. In the
first place, alr. Dunlap did not prove to the
Committee that they had such contract.
lie sent for 1t. bnt 1t failed to come to hand.
Even II they had such contract, think it
could be nnnulled II they wished It. II the
railroad company wished to do justice 10 the
farmers, they would have done It at that time.
The committee proposed to rent piece Of
ground along their track, and build ware
house, but the company would not lease it,
western Railroad Company wanted to make
the Committee believe TINT they were bound
By this contract to smooth tho thing over, 80
as not TO appear too obnoxious to the people.
l hold that no company or association has
any right TO make a contract of this kind,
that Is for the benefit Of the tew nnl not for
the whole.
In regard to The coal trade, IL Is true that
Mr. Dunlap said 10 the Committee that they
wcr0 willing 10 deliver coal to any person on
tho line Of the road, but II Is not trua that It
Is done. Our coal merchants ccn't ret coal.
The coal is delivered at Dixon. and the North
western Railroad will not bring 1t to DeKalL,
10 the contrary notwithstanding.
II Is all very well for 1fr. Dunlap, In behalf
OF the Company, to say flnc things to 4 eonl-
mittce, and af:er the committee is gone, to
pursue the tormcr course. The farmers have
Ind enough OF this treatment. II the Rail-
road Company were sincere in their profes-
sions, we would have seen some Of the fruits
before this time.
As to Our action being inconsistent, we
think that from ell the facts In the case wo
have acted. not only consistently. but for the
benefit Of the people. Wenre opposed to nil
kinds Of mopoPo1ics, and II Chicago Is In favor
Of them we must trade elsewhere.
You will also observe that the part Of the
committee that lived in Sycamore did not
sign the report Of The committee. Comment
Is unnecessary.
]. ". SMrLI,
Chairman of tho Committee On Resolutions.
The wINNEDAGO COUNTY MEETING.
Correspondence of, the Chicago Tribuuc.l
RoCkronD, Dec. e.
A large meeting Of farmers OF Winnebaso
county, was held at Hitchcock's Hall, East
Rockio.d--tl.ia Yhursdny-P. NJ. Speeches
were made by several prominent men Of tho
county, on the subject OF kaltre>Au lanus,
Warehouse Charges, Inspection Of Grain, &C.,
and committee Of three were aprcsnfed TO
draft resolutions to b presented at mass
meeting es Inc farmers Of Winnebaso and ad-
Saturday, January 9Th, 1866, at Browns Hall,
In West ToeEfnrj
TIE COAL MINING QUESTION At LAsAILE.
I.AsA1LE, Dec. q, 1865.
Edtots Tliburc:
Observing report Of committee FROM Do
Ka1b on mouopolies, and seeing something IN
that report which know to be false, think
1t hut right 10 let that committee md tho
public Mt large know that they hare been In
posed upon by rmtruthfn1 statements 50 far as
the coal trade is concerned. II Ntsthero stated
that the miners struck i've times, demanding
f1tty cents each time. Now, the truth Is We
never struck for an advance Of price this fall.
We received one dollar aud Atty cents per tor
knowing the price for which coal was selling,
ut the various points Of delivery we knew
they were well able to pay Us more for min
inE, Eo VIC asked ind obtained, three times,
without strikc) twenty five cents each time
making Sis cents per ton for ninlng. We
had the last twenty-five cents but two weeks,
when they took 1t OF us again, leaving MS s.
Per ton. Here let me observe that for each
twenty-five cents they raised our wages, they
raised sevcnty-fye cents 10 the consumer.
But did any consumer ever hear Of q reduction
when they reduced us twenty-five centss pre-
slime not, Judging from Mr.. Pages abatement
to the committee. Uekuew when he ma do that
statement that we were receiving bnt lfty
cents per ton more than we had during the
summer, II appears to me that tie railroad
company and the mining company are play
Ing d game on the consumers Of coal aud
blaming the miners for tho extortion-
I sec Mr.. Page objected to sell coal except
through his own agents. 4 have no doubt but
he has a good reason for the objection.)
Now, take IN example Of what they consider
fair profit FOR one Of these agents. Goals
selling for $3.50 per ton at Dixon. Now there
arc plenty Of small mines tbat wonll pu. coal
on the railroad cars At 81 per ton,
IL the railroad company would let
them have the cars, and the large
ones could do 1t cheaper If they would, and
still have good proHt at the present rates Of
mining. The freight from here to Dixon Is
Sl.50 per ton, making coal worth ESQ In DIX
on. fwonder If 6 per ton is fa1r profit for
their agent in D,xon, IL e per ton to the
miner ior mining 1t Is TO be called e7tortion 7
give you these few plain facts by the re-
quest Of the Miners Association for publica-
tion, 80 that the public may know how 10
The high price of coal. We scarcely make q
milking their hundred thousand dollars last