The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-01-10
|uCN|7E Miners
| DECLARE PRICE
SET TOO Low
At Meeting Held in Minot Tuesday
Night They Say They Will Turn
Mines Over to Government Rath-
er Than Accept $3.50 per Ton.

Members Of the North Dakota Lig-
mite Coal Operators Association from
the Northwestern part of the state,
met at the rooms Of the Minot Asso-
citation of Commerce Tuesday night
and discussed the recent price reduc-
ton on coal at the mines, ordered by
State Fuel Administrator Baker, an
nouncement of which was made Fri
day as follows:
Screened lump-S2.50 per ton.
6-inch steam lump-$2.00 per ton.
Mine run-$2.25 per ton.
Screenings-$1.25 per ton.
This is a reduction of so cents
ton for screened lump and the other
prices were lowered in proportion.
The mine operators have protested
against this reduction, saying that
they will be unable to operate their
mines if they are compelled to accept
this price. A wire was sent to H. A.
Garfield, national fuel adminstra-
tor, by the mine operators, offering
the North Dakota Ignite coal mines
to the United States government for
the period of the war as proof of the
sincerity of the operators, relative to
their price demands. They say that
rather than operate their mines at a
loss, they would prefer to turn them
over to the government for the period
Of the war or for at least one year,
for any equitable compensation to be
determined by Mr.. Garfield. The OPP
orators present represented a poten-
tial output of 5000 tons, worth $15,-
600 daily.
The mine operators were addressed
by Dorr H. Carroll, state chairman of
the Council Of Defense. The operat-
ors will have a hearing before State
Fuel Administrator Baker at Bis
marck next Monday when application
will be made to have the price raised.
The mine operators claim that dur
ing the past year timbers have in
creased 80 per cent; steel for the track
! per cent. Several Of the mine operat-
ors present, including Mr. Doherty Of
the Doherty Coal Mine at Noonan, N.
D., stated that they would shut down
their mines at once and get out only
enough coal to supply the contracts
with the state educational institutions
and the various steam, light and pow
err plants Of the cities which they
serve, and will mine for those con-
Germs only with the understanding
that the price will be adjusted later.
Mr.. Doherty explained to represent
tative of the Independent that he be-
lieves that Mr.. Baker bases his fig
ures from the Wilton mine but that it
costs the mines of the northwest more
on account of water, soft roof, thin
ner veins, etc. He stated that it costs
the mine 1921 to put ton of coal on
the track on basis of 100 tons daily
and that about the same amount Of
overhead expense is necessary to mine
40 tons daily. The coal miners are
getting an average of $1.2O ton for
their work. Many Of the mines, he
says, are not making more than from
IS to 20 cents ton on their coal ON
the basis of $500.
E e. Devol of the Wallace mine at
Burlington, who is president of the
North Dakota Ignite Operators AS
ISOLATION presided at Tuesday nights
meeting. The various Burlington,
Tasker, Foxholm, Kenmare and Noon
an mines were all represented, togeth-
er with some in other districts.