The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-11-15
FRAZIER TODAY
| IN POSSESSION
OF STATE MINES
Chief Executive Controls Labor
of 1,5O0 Men and 20 Per
Cent of Output
HOPES MANAGERS STICK
Military Commanders Placed in
Charge of Properties Are
Not Experienced

North Dakota'S state coal mines
shipped 33 carloads of coal to 20 diff.
1erent points in the state Yesterday
advised j. w. Deemy, Governor
Frazier's state fuel director, today
These shipments are being made on
a priority basis from orders which
accumulated on the books Of the pro-
pertles which the state now is operat.
ing during the weeks idleness en-.
forced by order of the district presi.
dent Of the mine workers.
Adjutant General Fraser has receiv-
ed advice from practically all of the
companies whose properties have been
confiseated by order of Governor
Frazier to the effect that they yield
under protest and only to military
force. A majority of the mines taken
over by the state now are opera ting.
The Burlington and Wallace mines
at Burlington and the Red Trail
mine at MedOra are among the latest
to report F.,
Capt Underwood Of Enderlin re-
ported for duty with the state militia
today and was assigned to Wilton to
assist Capt. l.. r. Biard. Capt Mar
tell of Bismarck has been sworn into
the state militia and is attached 70
Governor FraZier's Office. No blood
shed is reported to date from any Of
the Ignite fronts.
Governor Lynn J. Frazier under
his proclamation of martial law has
completed seizure by military
force of North Dakota's 81 organized
Ignite mines, and he is now in con-
troll OF seventy percent of the coal
production in North Dakota. The
first mine to resume operation under
state control was the Washburn Lig-
mite Co.'S property at Wilton, which
employs 300 union miners, who re-
turned to work Friday morning after
a weeks idleness State militiamen
dispatched to other fields to seize the
mines there were expected to be in
possession by nightfall and it was be.
lleved that mojority of the mines
would be in operation Saturday morn
ing.
These "a mines normally employ
about 1,500 members of the United
Mine Workers. Many of these min
ers are farmers, who avail themselves
or an opportunity to make good wages
during the winter months and who
nave been compelled to join the union.
The wages of these miners range from
80 TO $l2 per day under the new wage
scale made effective last January and
which, under the contract which Dis,
trlct President brennan set aside
When he called the miners out, would
nave continued until Sept 80, 1920.
This contract contained clause Civ
ing the miners Of North Dakota the
benefit of any increase in wages made
effective in any other state.
President brennan called these 1900
miners out when the operators declin.
ed to consent to his demands that an
increase Of sixty percent in wages be
allowed by the operators and that
This Increase be collected as dues and
assessments are collected from union
miners and paid into Mr.. Drennan's
hands, to be used in the payment ,f
strike benefits in other states, where
the miners are out. President Dren-
nan insisted that this increase in.
wages could be passed on to the con-
sumer and in his proclamation of
martial law Governor Frazier declared
he considered Drennan's demands rea-
sonable, in view Of the fact that they
would involve no financial loss to the
operators. The operators declined to
accept this proposal when advised by
NJ A. Hildreth, United States district
attorney, that to do so would be in
violation Of the federal injunction
then in force, prohibiting the use of
union funds for strike benefits.
Governor Frazier hopes that the pre-.
sent mine arrangements will remain
at their posts and operate the mines
under his direction. The men whom
Governor Frazier mustered into the
state militia ard placed in charge Of
the state mines are not experienced
IN mining, nor, for the most part, in
any executive capacity. At Wilton
the Washburn mines We're reopenetl
under the direction Of John Hanwell.
state mine inspector, who was sue
ceeded during the day by J. w. Deemv
manager of a mining property at Ken
mare in which humber of associ-
ates of President Townley are inter.
ested, and whom Governor Frazier has
constituted state fuel director.
The usual avenues Of distribution
are to be used, the governor, announces
Maximum retail prices will be fixed,
and any dealer who asks more will be
given no coal. Adjutant General Fras-
er, de facto mine manager for the
state. has been instructed by the gov
ernor to pay the operators a royalty
Of from ten cents to 25 cents per ton,
as compared with an ordinary profit
of forty cents, which has been the
state average. Nothing has been said
as to the disposition of the balance
which presumably will accrue to the
state.
North Daktoa largely depends on
the product of its own mines which
average about 100000 tons Of lig
mite per annum. The government has
fixed the price of this coal at $3.50
per ton at the mouth Of the mine. and
it retails around S.. Acceptance Of