Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
COAL OPERATORS
FIGHT ON Rates
LEGISLATURE ASKED TO ACT
ROADS HAVE CUT CHARGES
ON ILLINOIS COAL,

Des Moines, March 20.-Iowa's 300
mine operators and 1900 miners have
pegun a fight against the Wabash
Northwestern, Iowa Central and Mil
Waukee roads for their discrimination
in distant tariffs.
A dozen mine operators of Des
Molnes and vicinity held meeting in
the Slavery yesterday afternoon and
on Monday operators from every por-
ton of the state will meet here with
the view of abrogating the new ra tie
of $1.50 and SLIGO for coal in car lots
shipped from Illinois to Iowa.
The railroads have US over a bar
rel said Charles S. Worth THE
new rates will work a great hardship
to the coal business of Iowa and all
OF those connected with the coal in
dustry are affected alike"
The operators refused to saw more
than this until after their Mondays
meeting when they will devise plans
to overcome what they and the miners
declare is injustice by the whole
SALE
Those who go below the earth with
their picks are with the operators in
their fight against the railroads. The
delegates to the annual convention of
the United Mine workers of America
for district No. 10, yesterday passed
resolutions in which they announce
the new rate schedules The miners
are to demand an immediate investi-
cation.
Resolutions Adopted.
THESE resolutions were adopted by
the convention yesterday:
Whereas, The Wabash railway has
put into effect a rate of $3.50 per ton
on coal shipments in car lots from
Illinois coal fields to Des Moines, with
proportionate rates to intermediate
points, and
Whereas, Other railroads, including
the Northwestern. Iowa Central and
Milwaukee roads, have put in similar
rates based on a $3.50 rate from Chi
cago to Des Moines, and
Whereas, The railroads have not put
in like or proportionate rate from
Iowa coal producing points into the
trade territory of the Iowa mines and
Whereas. The said rates are dis
crlminatory as against the Iowa mines
and Iowa miners and in favor of the
Illinois mines, and
Whereas, The Iowa distance tariff
rate is 81 per ton for a 100 mile haul.
while the haul Of 35s miles from Chi
cago to Des Moines is made for hut
$3.50 per ton, and
rates will work a great hardship to
the 1900 mine employees in Iowa and
to the coal industry in Iowa by de-
priving them of the natural market
for their output and will result in the
curtailing of the output of Iowa mines
and the reduction in working forces,
and
Whereas, Proceedings before the
state board of railroad commissioners
instituted by private individuals are
apt to be subjected to delays beyond
the time when relief would be of ma
terial benefit to the coal interests;
therefore
Be it resolved, That we, the delegate
representatives of the 1900 members
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea. district 49, in convention assem-
bled, request that our representa-
tives in the general assembly of the
state of Iowa now in session adopt a
resolution directed to the Iowa state
board of railroad commissioners re-
questing that body to make imme-
date investigation and to make a re-
duction in the Iowa distance tariffs
covering coal and like commodities to
become effective at once and to be in
preparation to the said rates on ship
ments of Illinois coal to Iowa points;
and,
Be it further resolved, That the
president name committe of five to
present these resolutions to the repre-
sentatives in the Iowa general assem-
bly, representing the counties in
which coal is produced. with the re-
quest that immediate action be taken