Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-06
Miners Quit Because Shot Fir
ers Are Not Employed.
SIX HUNDRED MEN OUT
Operators Were in Conference in Des
Moines Yesterday and Executive
Boards of Miners and Operators Will
Meet Today to Consider Situation.

Des Moines, Feb. 6.-About thirty of
the coal mine operators from the dis.
tirct comprising the counties of Wap-
clio, Monroe, Mahaska, Marion and
Polk met yesterday afternoon and ev-
ening in the Kirkwood parlors for the
purpose of considering means fer set
Ting the dispute which has arisen be-
tween the men and the operators in
certain mines in the Oskaloosa district
of Mahaska and Monroe counties The
original cause of the trouble is de-
mand made by the miners for shot fir
ers, and pending it's settlement about
600 men in the counties named have
quit work.
Contrary to Contract.
This, the operators claim, is contra
ry to contract in force between the
United Mine Workers and themselves
to the effect that, in cases of disputes
between the employers and the en-
ployed, the latter shall remain at
work pending an agreement by the
Joint executive board. While threaten
ing to spread over the entire district.
following mines: The Oskaloosa Coal
Mining company's mine at Beacon, the
Little-Hover Coal company's mine at
Oskaloosa, Geo. Ramsey's mine at Ev-
ans, all in Mahaska county, and the
Hooking Coal company's mines at
Hooking in Monroe county. 1t is said
that no ill-feeling exists between the
| operators and the union, but that the
officials of the latter have been un-
able to control the men in their deter
mination to quit work and force mat
tiers to an immediate issue, and that
in this lies the heart of the difficulty.
Meet This Afternoon.
President G.. H. Morris of the oper.
ators' association communicated yes,
terday by telephone with Secretary
\ White of the union, now at Oskaloosa
and between them it was arranged
that the two executive boards should
meet together at the Kirkwood at /
O'Clock this afternoon. At this con.
ference the entire ground will be gone
over and if possible permanent and
final settlement will be brought about
The sessions may soon come to a
close. or they may continue for sever.
al days. In either case it is the inten
tion of the operators now in the city
to remain until something definite
shall have been arrived at.
The Operators Who Took Part.
The officers of the operators associ
alton are: G. H. Morris, Des Moines
president; L.R. ,Rosebrook. Oskaloosa
vice president; LII. Lodwick, Willard
secretary; w. 7. Phillips, Oskaloosa
treasurer. The following are the mem
: bers of the two executive boards. Fol
the operators association: Alex Oar
gavel Centerville, First district; I. J
Phillips. Ottumwa, Second district
Geo. e. Fraker, Oskaloosa, Third dis
trict; D. B. Fleming, Des Moines
Fourth district; Andrew Craig For
Dodge, Fifth district; c. H. Morris
Des Moines, chairman; L. L. Lodwick
Willard, secretary. For the United
Mine Workers: John P. Reese, Abba
John p White, Oskaloosa Edwin Per
ry Willard; F. T. Romesburg, Mystic
John Cochran, Lucas; Robert Cowan
Des Moines; VIM. Heslop, Lehigh.
Just Talk.
The belief seemed to be current las
l evening, among prominent members O
: the operators association that unles
/ the officials of the union showed them
: selves capable of holding the men t,
their contracts in more satsfactor,
manner than they had in the past
would be unwise in the association t
treat with the union for the purpos
of establishing next years scale. 'rh
conference now being held in Indian
; apolis between the representatives O
: the eastern operators and those of tn
National Mine Workers regarding
5 permanent scale, with its possible et
] feet on the scale in Iowa renders on
of the question any forecast as t
| what the scale may be. In speakin
5 of the present local difficulty Hon. I
j. Phillips of Ottumwa, when seen b
a Leader reporter yesterday Afternoon
said that he believed satisfactor
agreement would be reached and tha
t soon.