Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-07

BY the unanimous vote of the coun-
ell last night in adjourned session, the
|, tax assessment of John Morrell & Co.
was recommended in a petition to the
h,ard of supervisors Of Wapello coun-
ty>,to be reduced from $675,000 to
$3.50, 100. The action Of the body was
the result Of the plea Of a delegation
of the packing house employees who
asked for the assistance of the coun-
Gil to take such action on the tax
assessment of the plant to prevent it's
leaving the city and thus throw the
employees out Of work. Their appeals
were those of men facing situation
that was fraught with trials and hard
ship to them and they pleaded with
feeling.
The council also appointed q COM
mittee OF five to work with the Com
merciaI association In making a plan
for the handling Of enterprises seek
ing location here in the future.
That the MorreIl employees were
successful in their plea is evident
from the adoption of the resolution
framed by the council in recess and
returned to the chamber for adoption
at 8 o'clock.
The Resolution.
The resolution follows:
'Whereas John Morrell & Co. Of
this city have declared their inten-
tion to discontinue the operation OF
its packing plant here at Ottumwa,
Iowa, because Of the alleged action of
the city council in fixing too high the
assessment on the company's property
thereby increasing the taxes beyond
the amount placed on similar enter
prises in Iowa cities, be it
"Resolved, That the city council pc
tition the board of supervisors of Wa
pello county, Iowa, to fix the assess
ment Of John Morrell & Co. as fol-
lows:
"On personal property, $275,000.
"On real estate, $175,000.
BE it resolved and understood that
In consideration of the reduction Of
the assessment Of the amount above
named, that John Morrell & Co. will
not close the operation Of its plant
here, but instead will continue to op-
crate the plant as heretofore in this
city"
Feeling Was Tense.
For some time previous to the open
Ing OF the council meeting, knots and
punches Of men bearing the stamp of
working men, and having the look Of
care and worry on their countenances,
gathered in the hallway Of the build
Ing and throughout the council cham
Der. The seating capacity of the cham
ber was soon filed and still the crowd
continued to gather in the room. BY
the hour Of eight, the room was pack
died without the railing that separates
the aldermen from the audience room
In the council chamber. The great
mass Of these men were employees Of
John Morrell & Co., from the several
departments of the plant, and they
sat and stood about in an expectant
and waiting attitude, watching in sus-
pense for the outcome Of the session
on which they depended for the con-
Hnuance of their several positions.
The feeling was tense and nothing
disturbed the order about the crowd
ed room until the filing in of all Of
the aldermen. The voice Of the mayor
In calling the meeting to order was
the first sound to break the quiet of
the room.
Employees State Case.
The force Of the human asking for
assistance which he felt was due him
was amply demonstrated in number
of short but earnest talks by Morrell
packing house employees before the
council. A committee of the Morrell
employees had been previously seen
by the mayor and told to put forth
their spokesmen at the proper time
and be brief in their talks. T. F. Nc
Garry was the first speaker. He said
he pleaded the cause of 700 to 800
men who would be thrown out Of
work unless something was done by
the council to change the attitude of
CONTINUED on Page So