Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-21
.KEBMINES
Railway Company Refuses to
Move the Coal.
MINERS MAKE A DEMAND
Dificulty with the Burlington May be
Adju.ted Today, but Just What
May be Outcome of Miners,
Raauest is Not Known.
From Wednesdays Daily.

~ Il. All j. ! tt. 3 J.
From Wednesdays Daily.
| 1t is said that $50 men, miners,
drivers, and top men, employed at the
Keb mine, formerly owned by the
Whitebreast Fuel company (the old
company. have not been working
since Monday, the result of a difference
between the receiver appointed to take
charge of the property and the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy railroad COM
| pany. This is given as the cause of
the suspension of work at the present
time, but it is understood that the
miners have set time when certain
demands that have been made shall
be complied with, and in the event of
the new management not complying
Herewith, trouble may result. The
receiver, while not exactly satisfied
as to the wisdom of complying with
the demand, when seen today, evil
denced desire to do that which is
best. s
Last Saturday, at noon, the White
breast Fuel company, OF Illinois, paid
off its men and informed them that it
| was the last day of work under the
Whitebreast management, as it now
exists, and delivered possession of the
property to l. w. Fowler, of Spring.
field, ILL.,, the receiver appointed by
1.-THE court to take charge of the prop
erty in the litigation between New
York trust company and the White
breast Fuel COMPANY of Iowa, pending
the year of redemption allowed in
mortgage foreclosures. Under the for
mer management wage scale had
been signed by the miners that held
good until April /, 1900, and contained
among other things the provisions that
the miners waived the right to have the
coal weighed in pit cars, as the law
provides, and instead agreed that it
should be weighed in the railroad car
after having passed over a set of
screens. The difference is this: Coal
weighed in the pit car is paid for
at the rate of so cents per ton, and con-
tains slate, jack, etc., which cannot be
sold and entails a system of docking
the pay of the men whose cars contain
it. The other. way the coal is passed
over a set of screens and enters the car
after having eliminated the rock. ETC.,
and is paid for at the rate of rs cents
per ton. The miners last Monday
made demand upon the receiver to
place a pair of small scales at the mine
and weigh the coal in the pit cars. The
receiver was not familiar with the
Iowa law relative TO weighing coal, and
it is understood told the men he would
consider the matter and the miners
gave him two weeks to get the scales
in position. That time has not yet
passed and the men are willing to con-
tinue working until the intentions of
the new management are made known,
but the difficulty that is now facing the
receiver is this: The Chicago, Burling-
ton and Quincy railroad company en-
tered into a contract with the White
breast Fuel company, of Illinois, to
transport the coal mined at the Keb
mine to Ottumwa over its track. The
company, in the absence of a contract
with the receiver, now refuses to haul
the coal, and consequently the coal
mined is lying in the cars at Keb,
Awaiting transportation. 1t was learn
ed today from a reliable source that
no coal has been hauled since Monday,
difficulty adjusted today in his confer
Burlington. Just what the outcome
will be cannot be foretold, although
at the Offices OF the new company it
| was stated that it was thought satis-
factory arrangements could and would
be made with the Burlington. The de-
mands of the miners presents another
phase to the matter, and in the event
that it is not complied with may result
in a shut down.
Mr.. Fowler was seen at the offices
of the company in the Holman block
today and when approached in regard
to the matter said that the demand for
weighing coal in the pit cars had been
made and that he had disposition to
do that which was best, but at present
had not determined on what would be
done. As to the difficulty with the
railroad he said he would go to Burl-
ington today where he would have a
conference with Supt. Levey in
regard to the matter, and he appro-
hended no difficulty in reaching salts
| factory agreement. He also said that
he had been placed in charge of the
property as receiver and in addition has
charge of the Forbush mine and Ladd
mine in Illinois. Mr.. Fowler stared
that it was the intention to reorganize
the company after the year of redemp-
ton had passed, and continue operat-
ing the mines and develop the large
acreage Obtained under the foreclosure
sale, recently held by the master in
CHANGER in this city and Centerville.
AI,RlA ON ANYuOIIS SEAT.