Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-22
CAUSE OF SHORTAGE
Iowa Coal Operators Explain Con-
dition in This State.
SAYS MINE OWNERS ARE NOT RICH

Secretary of State Operators Associ-
alton Says That Iowa Coal is in
Demand on Account of Scarcity of
Eastern Product.
The reason why there is a short
age of coal in Iowa this year is that
there is shortage of anthracite coal
and the coal from Hooking Valley,
Ohio. Hence Iowa coal is in demand.
This is not the only reason, however for
another one and very big one is that
many of the miners, disregarding their
agreement made with the operators
last year, do not work eight hours a
day but work on an average of six
hours. They have, however, improved
in this during the past two weeks"
Thus l.. l.. Lodwick, of Ottumwa, sec
rotary of the Iowa Coal operators as
ISOLATION, summed UP the situation
with regard to the coal supply in
Iowa.
Not Getting Rich.
"The public is making a great mis-.
take" said Mr.. Lodwick today to a
representative of the Courier, Sin
thinking that the operators of the
state of Iowa are getting rich fast on
account of the shortage of coal which
exists now in other states. | can say
without the least fear of contradic-
ton that this is not the case and that
the shortage affects Iowa very little,
one way or the other. In support of
this statement l will say that fully 80
per cent Of the mines in this state are
selling their coal on contracts made
last year, before the shortage which is
at present causing want and destitu-
ton in some places was thought of as
q possibility.
mo mine with 100 tons or more of
an output each day can be run on
profit in ordinary times unless the op-
orators have a contract for at least
| the greater part of the product The
risk is too great. Consequently, these
contracts, which are made by the yesr
are eagerly sought by the owners of
mines. The contracts under which
! the Iowa mines are now working are
nearly year old, and when they were
made everything was serene on the
coal proposition. Now, however there
is a shortage, but the Iowa operators,
unless .rey may sell an odd car or
SO, are reaping no benefit. They have
contracted to deliver so much coal
during the year at prices ranging from
$1.45 to S1.55 per ton, and must live
up to their contract.
Smaller Mines.
"rThis is true, say, of 90 per cent
of the mines in Iowa. Five of the
other ten per cent are smaller mines
whose owners have contracted with
local wholesalers, mills, factories, etc,
and they are selling at and 8 cents
per bushel. The local mines are sell
ing their outputs near where the coal
is mined, and the consequence is that
there is little or no benefit for the
operators OF Iowa to be derived from
the coal shortage"
According to Mr.. Lodwick's state
: ments the opinion which has been
formed by many people in this state,
to the effect that the owners of coal
mines in Iowa are just now more for
!; tunate than the owners of gold mines
! in Colorado, is all wrong. Ottumwa
. has no shortage in her coal supply, for
the wants of the citizens, SO far as BIZ
luminous coal is concerned, are sup
| piled from the local mines near the
+. city These mines do not connect
with railroads and the small output
> would not justify their owners ship
; ping their coal out of the city to places
; where there really is want, for the eX-
pense of transportation would hardly
I be made up by the difference in the
price. Figuring thus, then, there
9 seems to be no special danger that
!, the coal operators of Iowa will become
!, in a short time the monarchs OF all
n they survey.
: Iowa Coal Marketable.
One advantage which is gained by
e the Iowa coal operators is that now
I during the time of the shortage of an
;. thracite and Hooking Valley coal
! there is plenty of demand for the coal
y which is produced in Iowa, but which
$ when the eastern coal was produced
g had to take back seat in some of the
: western markets. This makes the
I. minds of the Iowa operators rest more
! easily, but does not necessarily in
Il crease the price he is getting for his
! coal. However, looking upon its
y bright side, the situation apparently
: promises that in the future, the east
~ u ern coal may possibly be crowded out
u of Iowa by the Iowa coal in some Of
the markets in this part of the coun
try. There can be no doubt that the
< shortage which is at present appar
5 ent is going to have its effect upon thu
z eastern coal. In Ottumwa, alone mucl
5 of these two grades of coal was use
and the amount was greater in othe
! : parts of the state where coal mine
Y. are more distant than here. When thu
i change was made to soft coal ther,
. was necessarily a change in stove
a and boilers, and the chances are evel
q when the supply of eastern coal in
!. creases. the soft coal will still be uset
= rather than make the change again.
l. Prices to Miners.
e. There is a report current in Ottun
8, wa just now that the miners whel
ST they meet in Des Moines, in March t
arrange a scale, will insist that the
g be charged lower price for coal thai
T. they are now paying. The report ha
H. even gained circulation that the opel
le ators are taking advantage of the seal
a. city of coal and charging the miner
Il as high as seventeen cents per busl
ell for coal for their own use.