The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-08
RAILROAD NEWS.
Railroads Anticipate Trouble
With Coal Miners.
Prepare by Storing Coal at Diff
ferent Points.
A STRIKE is FEARED.
Spring Prices of Coal Hold
Up.
Passenger Men Leave Topeka
A STRIKE is FEARED.
Passenger Men Leave Topeka
For Monterey Meeting.

Pittsburg. April s.-For the past
month the Santa Fe has been storing
enormous quantities Of coal at all d.
vision points and even unloading on the
ground after having all bins and chutes
filed. At Emporia more than 300 cars
have been unloaded on the prairie; at
Florence more than 200 cars. several
hundred cars at Ottawa and like amounts
at all division points
The cause of this has not been ex-
planned until recently when the report
came from Indianapolis that the Mine
Workers union have some differences
to adjust with the union operators in the
kansas field 1t IS now rumOred that
the union operators are thoroughly dis
Eusted with conditions as existing at the
present time and the indications
chance to repudiate all agreements and
ignore the union entirely; and the slight
est provocation on the part of the union
VIII bring on a clash.
This Will mean that the union COM
panies will experience the same kind OF
fight which the Big Four fought so
persistently two years ago 1t was pre-
d1cted at that time that the companies
signing with the union would eventually
have to make the same fight or be gov
erned by the union, and the indications
now are that it is the intention Of the
few union operators to take a determined
stand on this question and endeavor to
crush the union out entirely in what is
known as district No. II.
AS is shown by the manner in which
the Santa Fe is storing coal for use it is
evident they understand the conditions
thoroughly and are making preparations
for a prolonged fight if it is necessary.
c. J. Devlin of Topeka controls the
Santa F'e coal properties and was the
first to recognize the Miners union two
years ago, and 1T was stated that the
strike could have been successfully ter
minated within two months if Mr..
Devlin had joined with the Big Four
But the Big Four finally won a decided
victory and have since increased the ca
pacity of their mines until they now can
produce a sufficient amount of coal to
supply all demands while the union
mines are idle. When the strike was
first inaugurated two years ago disin-
terested people were supicious of there
being q secret understanding between
the union and non-union operators, and
because Of the preparations now being
made the people are fully convinced that
such an understanding did, and still does
exist, and that strike was brought on
and one in the near future will be
brought on by the shrewd operators in
order to obtain better prices for their
coal
Past records show that in the spring
months the wholesale price OF coal has
always been reduced from 25c to soc per
ton below the winter prices. but nothing
of the kind has occurred this spring and
from information gained from the retail
dealers they have been advised that no
reduction need be expected this summer.
The Colorado Fuel and Iron company
of Denver who have been fighting the
miners union for several months, now
have placed non-union men in their
mines and are prepared to fill all orders
And as the miners union failed in Sc
curing recognition Of their union in
Colorado, as they did with the Big Four
in Kansas, it is to be hoped that when
the officials meet in Indianapolis they
may be cognizant Of preparations being
made, and that they will not bring on
another fight which at this time would
undoubtedly prove suicidal to the union.
The present agreement does not expire
until September /, but as the agreements
are executed in June, it is feared the
miners may decide to commence the
battle at once in hopes of obtaining a
better contract for the next two years.