The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-24
MADE A GOOD KICK
LBAVENW0RTH AND Usage MIN
Frs PRESENT 4 PROTEST.

1
fnl Pertion-seyerai of the Miner
Make Strong Speeches for Their Side o.
the Case-CompIete Statement of tn,
Matter and What Miners Say.
Topeka, Kan, June 23.-As the result
of vigorous protest from miners il
Usage and Leavenworth counties, the
hoard of directors Of the state peniten
tiary yesterday decided to re-advertisc
for bids for the surplus output OF Goa
al the penitentiary mines.
The directors have experienced much
/ difficulty with the present contracts
The bids are low and the board con-
tinued in session week seeking solu-
ton OF. the problem. AS last resort
the contract was let until July and al
| such prices as 10 cause an uprising
among the miners. although the board
had no other alternative under the law.
Governor MorrilPs Office was given
over TO the hearing yesterday. The
/ three members of the board of direc-
| tors, Chairman 7. W. Eckert, u. N.
| Beck Of Holton and Lair Dean of Smith
! Center, who had delayed final action on
the present bids until the miners had
! been heard, listened TO a number of ad-
dresses from their representatives
The contention of the mining interests
| is that the low prices at which the sur
| plus penitentiary coal Is being sold I'M
/ der the present contract causes a cor
| responding decline in the price of the
! coal mined in Leavenworth and Usage
| counties. 1t was shown yesterday that
| a reduction in the price Of penitentiary
! coal would make the mining of coal
cost 212 cents per ton more than the
I coal would bring in the market.
The Leavenworth delegation was as
follows: James Graham, P. Braidwood
| John Young. John Summerfelt, William
Bell, n. S. Patterson. John Kellam, ole
Reynolds, D. H. Williamson, Mac Nc
Gregor, William Johnson.
T, H Martin and John F. Young OF
Scranton, John Graham of Peterton, z.
G. Pipp, editor of the Burlingame Re-
publican; II. B. Miller and Gus Johnson
of Usage City represented Usage coun-
ty.
The majority of the visitors made
speeches requesting the board to defer
action on the penitentiary coal con-
tracts until an arrangement could be
made which would be more equitable
than the present one, so far as outside
mining is concerned.
There are but two bidders on the con-
tract for the coal, w. H. Upton of Ar
kansas City and S. A Nesbit of Achi-
son. The bids follow Upton, screened
and lump coal, s1.05 per ton; nut coal,
70 cents; pea coal, 40 cents; slack, 5
cents. Mr.. Nesbit bid s1.10 on screened
or lump; so cents on nut; % cents on
pea coal and 21k cents on slack.
The percentage of yield of various
Goals from a mine, explained by State
Mine Inspector Brown, are as follows:
Screened or lump, 20; nut, 13; pea, 9;
slack, 8; total 100.
An analysis Of the bids and the per-
centage, in the opinion of the mining
experts present yesterday, voiced by Mr..
Brown, indicates that the two bids are
very similar in price when the various
kinds of coal are taken into considera-
ton. In discussing the proposition
Mr.. Brown showed very plainly that a /
the price bid for coal, the letting of the
contracts would be a great injustice to
the miners of Usage and Leavenworth
counties.
In discussing the matter further Mr. |
Brown called attention to the fact that |
last year the board refused to make |
contract with a bidder for the surplus |
coal because he represented an organic |
ed company in Leavenworth.
The board had practically decided to |
accept the bid but upon discovering the |
deal which was on by the bidder, they |
refused 20 make the contract. The |
scheme Of the bidding was to secure
the penitentiary coal output for the |
purpose of supplying Leavenworth and |
the adjoining local trade The COM
pany, when il was believed by the man
a gement, that the contract would be
secured posted notice of a reduction
in the wages OF miners. With the peni-
tertiary coal to supply trade the deal
ers could force the miners to accept a
reduction.
So it is that the coal contracts have
been the source of annoyance not only
to the directors. but TO the miners.
The highest bid for the coal output
now is S1.1O per ton. The Usage county
miners maintain that if the contract for
penitentinary coal ia made at s1I0 il
will force their prices down and result
in great distress among the miners be-
cause it will put stop to the work al
together.
Usage coal is now on the market at
$3.50 Should the penitentiary surplus
coal output be continued on sale at
lilo Usage coal will fall about 10 cents.
making the market price sf.35. The
coal costs 20 be mined S1.3712. or 2is
cents more than the price would be for
shipments. Operators could not stand
such business as this, and would be
compelled TO shut down their mines. re-
sulting in great disaster to the working
men and their families.
II. r. Miller. mayor of Usage CITY.
said the question is whether the miners
VIII be given work, or the almshousas
1lied with men and their families.
At the conclusion of the hearing the |
directors decided to re-advertise for bids
With limit Of sixty days. The con-
.racts VIII again be taken up and an !
Mort made to secure bidders who offer
Detter prices than those now submitted
o the board
The board was in some doubt as 10 ! I
What action on bids should be take, ,
md asked Attorney General Dawes for
IN opinion
The law governing this part OF the |
tate business is section -, chapter I5z.
avs 1891, as follows;
The board OF directors shall once in
ach year. and oftener If necessary, con-
ract the surplus coal taken from the
mines Of the penitentiary. after supply {
1g the state Institutions and the local |
wagon trade, as herein provided. to the :
ighest responsible bidder Before let I
ing any contract for the sale Of the sur
lus coal, the board of directors shall :
dvertise for proposals for the same n
I least three papers Of general circula- {
lon in this state. for not less than sixty I
avs preceding the opening OF the bids Z
no awarding the contract Each bt. c
nan BE accompanied with a certified :
heck for s. 0eO. which SHAH ~ for<si,sJs ,