The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-30
CLAY COUNTY'S COAL MINES
Why Four of Them Are Shut Down and
Miners Out of Employment.
Purely q Business NecSSsity-Decreased Con-
sumption Of Coal Because Of Tariff Disturb
ance-Harrison's Election a Necessity.

A simultaneous attack has been made ia the
Democratic newspaper organs upon the Brazil
Block Coal Company. an. organization which
controls some thirteen mines 10 Clay county,
and employs about LOCO men. 1t is asserted
that the company is q Republican syndicate and
that the managers have closed down certain
mines for political reasons, having sscsrtained
that . majority Of the miners therein employed
were Democrats. This is the gist OF the charge
made. Judge Thurman. 10 his public speech,
alluded 70 the matter. and repeated, in slaborar
ton, the substance Of the allegation here out
lined.
The Brazil Block Coal Company has been COM
PEELED to shut down certain Of its mines for
purely business reasons. Four mines have been
closed down. and IL 80 happens that q poll OF
these mines shows that the operatives were
more than 30 per cept Republican 1t was en-
tirsly and absolutely q business necessity, and
those who attack it for political reasons and
assign IL 20 Republican desire. have been com
PEELED to ignore the fact thas the president of
the company. Mr.. E.. T. Lawrence, Is an old and
weI-knowr Democrat. When the mines were
shut down q notice, Of which the following Is q
copy, Was posted in each one:
'BRAzrr, Oct IL, 1888.
ITO the Employees at Chicago Mine:
"It has been the uniform experiences Of this COM
psny IN the pssr. that 81 this season of the year the
demand for coal has been such rs TO keep their mines
employs cd TO their fullest capacity. AZ this period
this condition Of things does not exist. Owing TO the
depression in the iron business. caused by the
threatened change in the tariff laws Of the country,
the demand upon this company Tor coal has been
very largely reduced below last year. The falling OF
IN shipment. to iron manufacturers by MS, in the four
period OF last year, 10 az, S42 tons.
"Ths mines OF the company are now not employed
20 more than one-half Of their capacity. Owing to
this state Of affairs it has been determined TO close
down. for an indefinite period. four of their mines.
viz: Chicago. Gartsherrie No. 1 and No. 2. and No. 10.
The men employed at these mines will proceed 70
them in good condition By Saturday night next.
some inconvenience to its employees at the above
named mines. but IL IL compelled TO this action by
circumstances which, no doubt: the men will aPpre-
eiate by carefully considering the facts stated above.
Everything viii DO done to give men thus thrown
out OF employment a share of the work at the other
mines operated by the company.
"Details for the change of work can be had by ap-
phcation to the different bank bosses.
Yours very respectfully,
THE BRAZIL BLOCK COAL COMPANY"
This circular certainly shows the most careful
and considsrste spirit on the part Of the CON-
pany toward It's employees, But the company
went further, and attempted to see If patronage
could not DO secured which would enable the
company to maintain full work at all its mines.
Letters were addressed to two large c~oal-cOn-
suming factories asking them IL it was not pos
sibie TO increase their orders for coal. The fol-
lowing letter, addressed to the company at
Brazil by the president. Mr.. E. +. Lawrence. OF
Chicago, explains all this, as well as shows that
Mr.. Lawrence is a Democrat. as before stated:
Mr.. LAwRENcE's LETTER
CHICAGO. i'll, Oct. "a. 1888.
Observation-Disclosures herewith Il copy OF . letter
addressed 10 J. O. Morse, president Of the Union
w. Potter. president of the North Chicago Rolling
mill Company. You also have replies from the re-
s~pective parties The reason for having asked the
been called TO an article published IN the Indianapolis
Ssntine, rejecting upon this company. by reason OF
is treatment 20 miners. and also one copied in the
Chicago Herald here, purporting to DO taken from one
Tn. wri,-r believe. fair play to be a jewel, aud
notwithstanding the fact tina. he has been q Demo
srat oil his life. ard expects so TO remain, he thinksit
unfair 70 every one eonnec.eS with the company. in
making the statements referred 70 above.
The reason for closing down mines, 10 that there
IL not demand for the output Of the four mines now
:lO.sd IN addition to those now being ops.stsd, and
IL. f. LAWRENCE,
President Brazil Block Coal Company. Brazil. Ind"
THE LETTER TO AIR. MORSE.
CHICAGO. Oct. %, 1883.
Jay G. Morse. ESQ. President the Union steel Com
rany, City;
Dear Sir-ws have had 10 shut down some Of our
mines, in consequence of there being so light o demand
for the coal. Is there anything that we can do with you,
by which you can increase your consumption We
want 20 keep every man employed that we car, and
for the time being are willing, if we can only got our
BRAZIL BLOCK COAL COMPANY"
MR. MoRsE's RESPONSE.
Il. e E G %sy.' s! Ell s.fi.s.. e. e. d tS1;sss: M Gem. z:,t.
The Union STEEL COMPANY.
3o2 FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING.
CHICAGO. Ill, Oct. -, 1883.
Brazil Block Coal Co.. Brazil. Ind.:
.Gentlemen-In reply to your favor OF the 22nd
inst. stating that you had shut down some of your
mines, in consequence Of the light demand for coal,
aud inquiring II there was not some way we could in
works and rail mill have shut down. owing to lack Of
orders. and to the disturbed ana unsatisfactory state
OF the iron and steel market, consequent upon the
political state Of the country, and the uncertainty as
20 tie future tariff policy.
when running. we use, as you know, large quanti-
ties Of oil coal and coke. but while the s~teel.works
and railmin are not running we use less coke. and
bat . small quantity of coal and oil, and until the
present uncertainty ss TO the tariff is removed, and
the presidential election decides whether the indus
tries of this country. are still 10
enjoy the protective policy of the past,
which we think unwise and adverse TO the interests of
this country, We cannot say when the mill will start
up again. nor WHAT amount OF coal we shall need here
after. For the present we need none, and our future
requirements depend on the policy which shall be de-
eided upon IN the next months general election. Very
truly yours, JAY O. MORSE. Presid ent."
MR. ~PorTEE's RESPONSE.
!. g ~ P Psa,r' y Pss'iSs.l !; q Hq PssIs, s, cs r..
GENERAL OFFICES OF
NORTH CHICAGO ROLLING MILL Co., |
"THE RooKERY," No. 761,
CHIcAeo. Ill, Oct "a. 1883.
Brazil Block Coal Company, Chicago. H.:
'rGentlenen-I am Ia receipt Of your valued favor
Of the 22d inst. and in reply have to say that / am
excsedingly sorry TO be obliged to say TO you that I
can see nothing In the condition of our business at
the present time that 10 In the least encouraging. so far
as increasing the consumption of coal from your
mines. eaa only say that practically all the coal we
are using you are supplying to US, but the volume of
work We have 20 do has been SO small comparatively
the entire year. and our present demands are so limit
ed, that it looks as though a partial or complete stop
days just whether this is due TO the present
situation. politically. or whether to the
normal condition of things, so far as our
business Is concerned. am hardly
PREPARED 10 answer. But this Is not the frst time a
discussion of the tariff has been prominentin politics.
and invariably, where this has been true, the manu-
featuring interests, and particularly those of iron and
steel have been depressed during such discussion,
and IL the discussion depresses our business. the en-
actment of a law looking To their destruction would
90 as serious TO your coal industry as to our iron
inArssts.
LET rs hope, therefore. that both interests NAV Ia
put on q sa-er basis for the coming year, and years
by the electlon of Harrison and Morton. thereby reas-
surfing both capital and labor interested in mining