Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-13
T. d. NICHOLS,
THOMAS DUFFY,
JOHN FAHEY,
Presidents Anthracite Districts,
Slowly UneRrth Combine.

slowly Unearth Combine.
CHICAGO, Jan. 12.-ope of the first acts
Of the grand jury, which Is inves-
tigating the alleged coal combine, today
was to ask That subpoenaes be issued for
the appearance Of Don r. Patterson and w.
X. Rhodes OF the Chicago & Eastern ILL
nols railroad. Subpoenaes are out for other
railway officials, but no return has been
made at a late hour.
S. v. Dalzell of the Spring Valley COM
pany was the first witness called. He was
followed by Z. T. Brent, secretary-treasurer
Of the Illinois Coal Operators association,
also Charles ". Gilmore Of the Crescent
Mining. company and George H. Holt OF the
Building Managers association. Evidence
is said to have been secured to prove that
operations o fthe alleged conspiring dealers
are planned in secret quarters In a down
town ONCE building, and that daily confer
ences we're held until the present investiga-
ton began. The manufacturers man Is said
TO be a prospective witness, who will give
the jurors evidence Of great value in the
investigation.
Eve have not got our hands on just what
we want yet," said States Attorney De-
neen, but It is coming out slowly"
The Investigation today was directed at
the Illinois Coal Dealers association, the
Illinois Coal Operators association and
the Indiana Coal Dealers association.
A subpoena was Issued this afternoon
for w. +. Boyle, president; G. ". Gilmore,
vice president, and Norman B. Berkeley,
secretary-treasurer OF the Crescent Coal
and Mining company, demanding that they
produce the contracts and agreements en-
tered into by the company with the fol-
lowing mining companies:
ri -,aI a a 49, -. HI,..I
shirkle, president; the Wabash Valley Coal
and Mining company, the Coal BLUM Mining
company, the Glenn Gag Mining and Mill
company. and the Oak Hill Coal and Min
ing company.
The city council tonight took a hand in
the solution Of the coal problem. An ordi-
nance was passed making the forestalling
OF fuel supplies a misdemeanor. punishable
with a fine Of 5000 for each offense. AS
al emergency matter the measure was
rushed through under suspension Of the
rules. After ten days II goes into effect,
and then any dealer or firm who combines
with intent to raise the price OF any fuel
commodity wifi be amenable to the courts
for violation Of a city ordinance.
No Overtime for Miners.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Jan. 12.-Adam
Menche. president OF the State Federation
Of Labor, was questioned tonight relative
to a report from Chicago hat the grand
Jury. which is investigating the alleged
coal combine will ask the Illinois miners
to work ten hours per day in order to re-
lieve the situation.
Mr.. Menche stated very emphatically that
the miners would never consent to that.
He declared that the operators and rail-
roads were solely to blame, and that GER
tain mines in the state were idle because
Of the scarcity OF coal cars. Mr.. Menche
declared that there we're today thirty-slx
miles OF loaded coal cars in Chicago alone,
which had been there for some time, and
that in Springfield the Chicago q Alton
had four strings of coal cars three blocks
each in length.
He declared that the people were being
misled by the false statements Of the oper-
ators and the railroads and that the miners
would not work ten hours per day, even n
offered overtime.
Kansas suffers Greatly.
TOPEKA, Kan, Jan, l2.-The fuel sltu-
alton grows more alarming in Topeka. Two
OF the largest coal companies in the city
are without a pound OF coal on hand with
which to supply their orders, and do not
know when they will be able to get any.
Packing houses and other institutions will
have to close in two days unless this sit
uation is relieved. The local gas company
may have 20 close this week. as II cannot
secure coal to make gas. The street rail-
way company has only a small supply on
hand.
other Kansas towns report practically
the same situation. All the mines In the
state are helng worked to their fullest
capacity, but the situation must be relieved
by coal from other states.
The weather is clear and cold and much
suffering has resulted already.
More Tins T. Given.
ALBANY. N, Y, Jan. 12.-Attorney Gen
eral cunneen was today given a hearing
in the application of William r. Hearst FOL