The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-11-20
at the beginning of . cold winter,
when the state has already suf-
fered great shortage of crops
and is today afflicted with increas-
ed taxation and other internal

GU IoAdtiOu dHu OINeI HtCiH"i
burdens.
at should be distinctly understood
by the workers and farmers that it is
not intended that any part of this in
crease of wages is intended to be CIV
en- to other miners or any other citizen
of North Dakota.
Little Coal Shipped From State.
"The governor states with great
emotion that he will not permit any
coal to be shipped from the state of
North Dakota. The people of North
Dakota should realize that little coal
has been shipped from the state for
many years, nor would the Washburn
company dream Of shipping coal from
the state which is needed by the people
of North Dakota. The governor is fully
aware of this fact and such a state
ment is purely rhetorical.
Thursday, on the failure to meet
with his ultimatum, the governor de-
clared martial law and arbitrarily sent
small body of troops to seize the
mine. Martial law can only be declar-
ed under the constitution of the state
of North Dakota when there is either
violence or riot, or immediate fear of
same. There has been no violence or
riot in any part Of North Dakota, nor
any fear Of the same. There has been
no disturbance at all.
Property Surrendered Peacefully.
"The Washburn Ignite company
peacefully surrendered it's property
under protest upon the approach Of
the soldiers sent by Governor Frazier.
''At this time we made vigOr-
Gus protest, stating that we did it
to avoid violence and that we de-
MED every right or claim of the
governor or any other official to
seize property in defiance of the
constitution of the state of North
Dakota and the constitution of the
United States. We shall take
every legal action for the recovery
of our property and to recover full
damages, personal and otherwise,
from every individual who is now
trespassing upon our property.
'We have given instruction to all
parties with whom we are doing bust
ness that we shall pay no claims of
any description that shall be placed
against this property while in the IL
legal possession of Governor Frazier" :"
B. A. Pratt, of Minneapolis. one of
the officers of the Dakota Coal Co.,
with mines at Tasker, has been. in Mi
not all week, preparing to fight the ac-
ton of the governor. Mr.. Pratt states
that the Ignite miners would have no
objection to the state taking over the
mines, if they could get Sair price
for the property; as the mine owners
have been making but very little
money, many Of them losing large
sums. It is reported that Gov. Fraz-
ier while in Minneapolis this week,
gave out an interview that when the
special session of the Legislature meets
action will be taken by the state to
take over the mines permanently.
The Pioneer Fuel Co. of this city,
which handles the product from the
Dakota Coal Co.'s mines, it not pay
ing the money to the state, but is pay
ing the money to the Dakota Coal Co.
So far, there has been no change in
the price of coal sold in Minot. Plenty
of coal is now being received to care
for present needs, in fact with the un-
usually mild weather this week, there
is lull in the business. When the
shortage of coal was on last week,
many customers placed orders with
practically every dealer in the city,
but when the fuel started to come
these orders were quickly filled. There
is no big supply ahead, but dealers de-
clare they could deliver coal faster
than present orders are coming in.