The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-03
Operators Claim They Must
Have S1.25 Ton More.
Demands Sent to Senator Curtis
at Washington Today.
THIS MEANS RATE OF S4.O5
Otherwise Federal Operation
Will Be Only Way Out.
Just One Week Is Given for the
Raise in Prices.

Unless the government adds $1.25 a
| ton to present prices, all mines in the
Usage district will be shut down and
miners transported to other fields
That is the def of operators in the
district Their demands were today
sent to Washington. Charles Curtis
United States senator. was asked to
personally present the demands to
Harry A. Garfield, federal coal di-
rector. The government must answer
! this week, operators declare.
/ Demands of the coal operators ware
clearly outlined in affidavits present.
ed today to John Hunt, assistant at
torney general The statements of
the operators were emphatic. They
did not seek a middle ground. In
stead they checked the problem of
the field squarely up to the govern
ment. Governor Capper, who recent
| ly threatened to operate the mines
under state supervision. quickly aban-
doned his plans and the buck was
passed to the federal department.
At $4.O5 a Ton.
Under the present schedule as pro-
vided by the government, lump coal
from the Usage field must be sold for
$3.50 a ton at the mines. Operators
insist they cannot produce coal at this
figure. They point to the fact that
they pay miners S1.91 ton for dig
ging coal, as against a rate of 81 cents
an even dollar less-in the southern
Kansas fields where the veins are
much heavier
Nothing short of a $125 increase in
the government rate will satisfy the
Usage operators. That means that
the government must place a rate of
$4.05 on Usage lump or operate the
mines under federal direction Mine
run coal from the Usage field is
quoted in the government schedule at
$2.55. To meet demands of the oper-
ators the price must be boosted to
$3.50.
Just one week is given the govern
ment to change prices, is the defiant
statement by the operators
Unless the rates are increased as
demanded and such increases are an
nounced before the end of the present
week, operators propose to release
their miners and permit them to go to
other fields. Officers of the Miners
association have already sent nearly
200 men from the Usage fields to 9TH
er districts. Threats are now made
that all miners will be removed unless
an immediate solution is offered to
the present situation.
All Mines Closed.
Practically every mine in the Usage
district is shut down. A strike re-
suited in the closing of many of the
mines before the government offer
was announced. The federal rate
merely added to the seriousness of the
situation.
Affidavits sent to Hunt today show
ed that operators in the district were
paying from $3.50 to 1891 for pro-
duction of coal They have flatly re-
fused to mine coal under the govern
ment rate or to in any manner at
tempt to meet the federal demand
That immediate action will be taken
is indicated in the demand for action
by the government before the end of
the present week.
Senator Curtis was today asked to
personally present the matter to Gar
field. Conditions in the Usage district
were outlined in a letter which Hunt
sent to the Kansas senator
Not only does the demand of the
Usage operators threaten present trou-
BILE, but is believed to indicate a per-
manent effect on the field. If the
miners are removed to other districts
it is believed the mines will be re-
opened with the greatest difficulty A
shallow vein in the Usage district has
added heavily to the cost of produc-
ton.