The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-14
TAKING THEIR COAL.
Colorado Is Having Trouble Exper-
fenced in Kansas.

Colorado is beginning to have trouble
with the railroads over the confscation
OF coal, and this has led Governor Bailey
to prepare to protect the state institu-
tions from the trouble in which they
We're placed last winter through the
confiScatlon of state coal by railroad
companies. He has been consulting with
Warden JeWett, who controls the peni-
tertiary mines, and State Mine Inspec-
tor David Castleman. relative to the
matter. He win ask Warden Jewett for
a weekly report from the penitentiary
mines in an effort to keep one institu-
ton from being overloaded with coal
and others running short. Warden Jew
EFT is working along the same lines.
Mr.. Castleman says that Kansas will
this year produce a great deal more coal
than last winter. and he does not think
there will be any excuse for further
increase in prices. He said:
Il see no reason why coal should be
advanced in price this year. The mines
of Kansas will produce million more
bushels of coal this year than they did
during the year of 1902. Last year they
produced only a little more than mil
lion bushels and this year they will pro-
duce more than 6 million. The greater
part of this coal is produced in Chero-
kee and Crawford counties. The mines
of Usage county produce only about
$50, goo bushels of coal a year and I do
not understand why they can control the
Topeka or any other market in the
state. 1t would seem to me that there
is combination among the Topeka coal
dealers and that this is responsible for
the increase in the price of coal here.
There should be no increase in the price
Of coal in Kansas this year, even with
the strike in Colorado. The Kansas
miners will not strike.'
Governor Bailey in speaking of the
situation as it affects the state 1nstltu-
lions, said:
4 am going to try to prevent the
railroads from depriving the state insti-
buttons of their coal. Last winter they
appropriated for their own use much
of the coal which was billed to the in
/ stitutions. We always received pay for
| the coal, but that did not help our case
any. as the unfortunates of the state
were suffering for fuel, while the rail-
roads were consuming our coal. None
4 of the coal has been appropriated this
winter, but the Colorado strike may
make some of the railroads short of fuel
and they are INSCRIPTIONS. 1 am go
ing to call on the general managers of
the companies which operate in Kan
sas or their superintendent, and ask
them to permit all coal billed to a
Kansas state institutions to reachits des-
| tination. I believe that they will issue
such orders as may be necessary 10
carry out this request. Wnen they nave
/ the facts before them
It seems rather peculiar that the
governor of great state should De
! compelled to ask the railroad com
Danios not to take what does not be-
long to them If a poor man should
steal bushel or two of coal to keeT
his family from freezing he would be
fined or sent to prison for it. but g
great corporation can take CARLOAD
which does not belong to it and moth
ing can be done about it, even if the
purchasers of the coal are left to suf-
fer, although the r. !lroad in the course
of time pays for the coal
Governor Bailey today received re-
ports from the heads of all state in
Istitutions giving the state of their Goa