Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-12-04
Towns in Nebraska, Coalless
and Resorting to Ex-
treme Measures. v
ACTUAL. SUFFERING
In SOME STATES
No Immaculate Relief in Sight AItho
Work Is Being Resumed in Scat
tered Mine Fiolds--Missouri Prepar-
ing to Work Surface Mines With
Volunteers and Under Troop Pro-
tection--Profitcoring in Fuol Oils.

Chicago, Dec. 4.--Another day of
wastage Of the rapidly dwindl;ns ma
tional coal reserve with It's Incidental
discomfort and disruption OF industry
was~in prospect. No immediate re-
lief by return to work of the miners
was in sight.
From additional cities came reports
Of actual suffering. In three Nebras-
ka cities fence posts and ear corn was
tinued to bend their energies toward
getting coal miners 10 relieve suffer
ing.
A new wage scale for mine workers
agreed on by representatives or all
the larger coal corporations today was
to be submitted to the fuel aiminis-
tration for, ratification. 1t embodied
a little more than the IA per cent In
crease suggested by the fuel adminis-
tration and refused by the miners. No
comment was made on what effect 1t
might have on the>strike.
Some CoaI Mined.
Despite labor trouble in the New
River fields, West Virginia continues
today to be the national chief procucer
of soft coal. Miners in the Rosment
district we're expected to return im-
medtely, operators saying they mad
accepted the Ma per cent increase. In
kansas additional coal was peing
brought out in the surface mines by
volunteer miners. Similar mines will
be operated In Missouri the governor
said. unless the miners return to work,
One company of state soldiers was az
ready on dirty In the vicinity OF the
Missouri surface mines and three ao-
|ditional companies were ordered there.
Iowa mine operators served notice
on the union Workers that unless they
returned by Dec. the mines would
be opened to competent labor.
Some operators maintained their at
titude Of not desiring their properties
worked by inexperienced men. Tney
claimed It was a hazardous task and
pointed TO the death of three, men at
Bogel Mine No. 8, Jacksonville. md;
The killed and injured were either
mine officials or office employees. They
set off badly prepared blast while
attempting to get out coal enough for
the boilers.
Profiteerins In Fuel Oils.
AS the shortage grows there are
numerous complaints Of profiteering
on substitutes. The southwest region
al coal committee today asked Secre-
tary Garfield to- establish maximum
prices on fuel oil.
In Chicago six and half hour
working day In all industries. effec-
tive tomorrow. had been decreed by
the state public utilities commission.
The order also carried drastic provi-
sions for curtailing amusements. dis
pensing with electric signs and cutting
off of elevators. Ihcaters were order
ed to conduct only six performance
|a week.
rhod5aHds Made ldIS.
/ With the closing Of thousands ot
non essential industries. throwing 200.-
600 men out Of work, and adoption oi
Ia six and half hour day for storea
and Office buildings. y Chicago today
felt the first serious effects Of the
coal famine. Service Of local, trans
porat1oh lines and suburban roads has
been cuttailed to minimum requires
lments. n 81 81
ESSENTIAL industries will be
closed each day as their supply Of coal
is exhausted and thousands more men
will be thrown out OF work. Charses
were made today by H. II. Merrick.
chairman OF the business mems com.
.mhtee assisting the public utilities
commission, that the east was being
favored in the distribution Of coal be-
ing mined at present.
Chicago will send committee to
Washington to see DR.. Garfield an
to demand that this city rSceive IT.
fair portion Of fuel.