Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-13
COAL SUPPLY IS A PROBLEM
Mines All Arc nd Des MOines and City
Cannot Get Enough to Fill Demand.
RICHARDS HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED YET
Friends Insist He Is Not Guilty and
say Beird implicated Him out of
spite-MneFarIand Evidently
Committed suicide.
tFrom a star correspondent.l

N- -
DIES MONIES, Ia, Jan. 13.--(Special)-
The coal situation in Des Moines con-
tinues as bad as ever and the distress is
made acute by the extreme cold weather.
The government thermometer marked 25
degrees below zero last night and the cold
continues. The coal dealers in Des Moines
report themselves from two to three weeks
behind in their orders. There are a dozen
coal mines in or near Des Moines, but
most OF them have sold their output direct
for the season and some of them have
heavy railroad contracts. There is a deh-
cheney in the number Of miners, and men
who have never before engaged in mining
are being taken into some of the mines.
The trouble seems to be that the mines
cannot be operated to their full capacity or
there would be more coal on hand. A
number of the mines are being operated
day and night. The Oak Park mine, in
the north part of the city, suffered a
bursting boiler yesterday, which will disable
that company for several days and cut of a
supply of 100 tons Of coal a day, most OF
which was used for local consumption. The
State Board of Railroad commissioners has
been appealed to to order the more prompt
delivery of coul to dealers, but the board
can do no more than send the complaints
in TO headquarters with a request that the
companies stop sppropriating coal and for
ward the consignments to the dealers.
Beyond this the commission cannot go. as
it has been held in Iowa that the railroad
companies have a right to take any coal
they may desire.
The Soft Coal Operators association OF
the Des Moines district held a meeting
| this afternoon and refused to sell coal to
Des Moines retail dealers, and teamsters
who have in the past or may in the future
sell coal to consumers for more than SO a
ton. the retail price fixed by the associa-
| ton. Taking advantage of the pressing
demand for COAL, some Of the retailers have
| advanced the price Of coal to as high as
$3.50 a ton. Transfers have also bought
coal at the mines in the outskirts OF the
city and sold 1t at a high price.
Richards Not Yet Arrested.
The peace officers of Marion county have
as yet failed to make the arrest Of W. A.
Richards, ex-deputy United States marshal,
accused Of having something to do with the
| robbery OF Sullivan at Hamilton last week.
They believe that Richards is somewhere in
Nebraska, but say they have not located
him today, The friends of Richards are
indignant and declare that 1t cannot be
pOobibNN NO hao any PAM ~ NHS -SO
berry at Hamilton, but the circumstantia
evidence was SO strong that the peace OH
GERS OF Marion county feIt compelled to
take action to, secure his attendance at
court. Richards has been doing some de-
tective work since his retirement from his
position and his friends say he was SO en-
gagged in this case, 1t now transpires that
Beird, who was the man shot by Sullivan,
I and on whose statement the warrant for
Richards was issued. has been in the peni-
Tertiary several times and was taken there
By Richards each time. 1t is regarded as
possible that Beird may have been actuated
by malice toward Richards in making an
accusation against the latter.
A Few Smallpox Cases.
The city health physician has reported "a
the State Board of Health the existence Of
eight cases OF smallpox in Des Moines
These, like others in the state, are very
mild and the fact has created no comment
here.
A new company of the Iowa National
Guard will be mustered in here on Tuesday
evening to take the place of the Stuart
company, which disbanded some time ago
The new company will start with about
forty members.