Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-06
Condition Of District No. -, q. M. W. A,
as Indicated in Officers Reports.
ORGANIZATION HAS $4,000 AT INTEREST
President President Secretary Treasurer Make
Good Showing for the Membership Has Largely
Increased and Now Numbers Many Thousands.


to the north, Taylor county to the
west and Putnam county, Mo-, in the
south. Hence you can readily see the
necessity of the organization having
headquarters and having someone oc-
cupy them regularly, and in this re-
spect l heartily concur with the rec
concentration of the president as sub
mitted by him recently to the locals of
our district. In accordance with ar
ticle IL, section 10, your officers have
purchased first class typewriter, and
can truthfully say that it has proven
a very valuable adjunct in expediating
the work of this office, and it will
serve the organization for many years
to come
Relief Fund Discontinued.
by recent ruling of your execu-
tive board, the fund known heretofore
in my report as the relief fund was dis
continued, and the credit balance of
S692.15 was transferred to the general
fund of the organization. The execu-
tive board did not deem it of sufficient
Importance to continue to carry this
fund on the books from time to time.
and their full reason for this action
was that the district constitution gives
the board the power to levy assess
ments and to draw on the funds of the
organization for the purpose of aiding
strikes that have been thoroughly le-
galized, and this account no longer
appears in my report.
$4,000 on Interest
81 have at all times endeavored to
perform the functions of my office to
the best of my ability, never hesitating
to assist in the upbuilding of the or
ganization, and to this end | have had
| the cooperation of my associate Off
GERS, with whom my relations have
been of the most cordial nature. l
have also published monthly reports
of the receipts of the Office in the Off
cial organ, the United Mine Workers
Journal, and have made quarterly re-
ports to the treasurer, and should rec
ommend that the constitution be so
amended that it would require the sec
rotary treasurer to do this. as it is very
important that the members should
know the exact standing of the treas
ury. The board has, from time to time
deposited such amount of your funds
as was practical, to the interest-bear.
ing fund. We now have $4,000 draw
ing per cent.
| The Lost Creek Disaster.
"On January "a, 1902, at - o'clock,
noon. terrific explosion occurred in
the No. mine at Lost Creek, Iowa, in
which twenty of our brothers lost their
lives and eight were severely injured
1t was by far the most disastrous af-
fair in the history of Iowa mining. 1t
has created widespread CONSERVATION
among the members in the shooting
fields of our district, and well it should
While we are all having our ideas as
to the causes, and the students OF
mines and mining have been eXplod
ing their theories, men are being hurl
ed unto death, and the time has come
when We cannot escape the RESPONSE
bility nor should we defer any action
on our part that would be the means
of securing better protection to the
lives of mine workers. Most of the
unfortunate men in this explosion were
married and leave helpless families
without support. Immediately upor
my arrival at the scene of this gloon
made personal investigation into
the condition of these afflicted people
and found that many were in poor cir
cumstances, and | knew full well some
thing had to be done. l had the loca
select responsible committee of three
good men to look into the affairs ant
to make sure that no one would suffer
and to further provide for their imme
diate wants. | assumed the response
bility of donating them 5000 from the
funds of the organization, fully realiz
ing that there was no power vested il
me to do this, but conscious of the
fact that in ample time provision
would be made to make good the ac
ton of your secretary
To Assist Sufferers.
81 desire to thank our local unions
the philosophical citizens, and the
trades unions of our state for theil
generous and prompt contributions tt
this worthy cause A full and com
plete report of the receipts and eX
penditures of this fund will be fount
in my financial report. We have
twelve widows and twenty-nine chill
dren dependent on us for support; the
injured are on the road to complete
health | readily concur in the rec
ommendation of the president. which
provides for the levying of an assess
LuSHI lOl IuG DSueul VI llle lLOSI SleSf
sufferers, and | would further recon
mend that the local unions that have
made donations to this fund be givel
credit on the assessment if the SAM
be made, and that the state organiza
ton be reimbursed from the fund o
said assessment to the amount donat
ed by your secretary-treasurer.
, Il can state that all officers an,
firms doing business with this organ
ization have presented itemized bill
to me for any Indebtedness that tn
organization incurred, and the sam
is submitted by me to your auditor
; for their complete inspection | nov
report to you the receipts and eXper
, ditures for the fiscal year ending Eel
: : ruary Is, 1902, the amount of tax re
! ceived from each local, and the nun
!, Der OF members last reported.
!. counsels Harmony.
5 81 trust that your deliberations Wi
| be characteristic OF harmony, and tina
r each and every one OF the importan
: measures that will be brought to you
I attention w ~oeeive your deepes
! considerati easp IN conclusion, allo'