Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-12-09
APPEAL STATE CASE
Question Ruling Of Arbiters in
Awarding Liability Claim.
MANY MINERS INTERESTED
Injured Man Seeks To Recover Wages
and Amount Paid Out For Mater
ial To Work With--compen-
sation Law To Be Tested.

and Amount Paid Out For Mater
ial To Work With--compen-
sation Law To Be Tested.
Des Moines.-The first appeal from
finding of board of arbitration I'M
der the workmen's compensation law,
involving the compensation which
coal miners may draw while incapac-
itated by injuries, has reached the
Iowa Supreme court. More than $4,000
miners are interested in the outcome.
John Richards, an employe OF the
Central Iowa Fuel company, suffered
a broken back while at work in the
company's mine. He asked for the
maximum compensation of $40 a week
under the workmen's compensation
law. The company declined on the
ground that miners pay should be
figured on basis of 220 working days
a year instead of 900, as the mines
are open an average of 220 days
year in this state. The matter was
submitted to board of arbitration.
That board ruled that Richards should
receive $S.4S a week for 400 weeks.
In reaching the decision the board
ignored $40 the miner paid for powd-
err and $12 for blacksmithing during
the last year. These amounts should
have been considered as another form
of wages, the miners commended.
Senator John T. Garrison, repre-
senting the miners union, filed pro-
test against the finding of the arbitra-
ton board. He also filed denial that
he had agreed that the amounts paid
for powder and blacksmithing might
be overlooked in figuring the wages.
On appeal to the Lucas county dis
trict court, that court affirmed the
finding of the board of arbitration.
The case is now before the Supreme
court on appeal.
In the Richards case, the board
found his average weekly wage for
the year was S1S.96. The law provides
he may draw half his weekly wage,
when injured, with $40 week as the
maximum.
Ruling Hits Iowa.
Iowa Industrial interests have re-
ceived another rap at the hands Of the
interstate commerce commission.
Proposed higher rates on soft coal
from Illinois mines to the Iowa cities
at Mississippi river crossings were
held justified. Increases amount In
many cases to 10 cents ton.
The rates are important because
on some Of them are constructed rates
to interior Iowa points and interior
cities will feel the effects. The Iowa
commission protested against the in
creases.
A high authority said of this decis-
ion: "The commission is steadily
boosting rates piecemeal and has been
going 1t for months. Shippers and
the public 90 not fully realize what
Is going on"
Fair Gets State Aid.
A. r. Corey. secretary of the Iowa
department OF agriculture. has paid
the state aid claimed by the Cass
county fair. The officers OF that as
ISOLATION cleared the fair of charges
of gambling.
Hearings are to soon be held at the
state house at which the officers Of the
Lyon county fair, held at Rock Rap
ids, and the Chicakasaw county fair
held at New Hampton, will be given
an opportunity to deny charges that
gambling was permitted at the ex-
positions. More than a hundred aft
davits have been filed, claiming that
nothing improper was allowed at eth
err fair.
Many Fail In Examination.
OF fifty-nine persons who took the
state pharmacy examination a few
weeks ago, only eight received pass
ing grade. This is an unusually poor
showing, the commissioners say. The
successful applicants were Jesse e.
After. Edwin F. Henry, Hubert R.
Kaempfer, Marvin ]. Morgan, Bert
Edgar Niles, Horace A. Street, all of
Des Moines; Chester 8. Bryan of Mon
tezuma, George A. Robinson of Mar
ion.
Oil Dealers Warned.
Chief Oil Inspector Risley for Iowa
has written letters to oil dealers over
the state that they will have to be
more careful in handling gasoline and
kerosene.
Sixty-three deaths occurred in 1918
and thirty-one in 1914 from gasoline
or coal oil explosions, state records
show.
Auto Registrations Increase.
The state automobile registration
department has registered 1850 cars
for 1916. This is $500 cars ahead
Of the record last year on the same
date.
Case Attracts Interest.
Among state officials there is con-
siderable speculation as to what the
Supreme court will do in the case of
Mathew O'Donnell of Keokuk. who is
held in the Anamosa penitentiary un-
der sentence to hang for the murder
Of his wife. One member OF the de-
partment of justice says that the court
may affirm the decision of the lower
court and let the governor commute
the sentence to life Imprisonment II
he sees fit. The decision will not be
handed down until the December per
Tod.
Convict Studies Law.
Convict No. 10.524 at the Fort Mad
ison penitentiary is fitting himself for