The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-03
ELEVEN STRIP
PITS WORKING
At PITTSBURC
SeVenty-fiye Cars of Coal Per
Day Promised Now.
Another Train Load of Fuel
Ready for Shipment.
DYNAMITE THEFT DISCOVERED
Department of Justice Agents
Are Working on Case.
$4,000 Tons of Coal Laid Bare
by Volunteer Crews.
Another Train Load of Fuel
Ready for Shipment.
DYNAMITE Theft DISCOVERED

Pittsburg, Kan. Dec, 3.-A Santa
ITe switching crew at Frontenac today
refused TO move a train of volunteer
miners and soldiers to two steam
shovel mines, according to an official
report to Colonel Lewis, of the regular
army.
Pittsburg, Dec. S.-Eleven strip pits
in the Kansas coal fields will be in
operation by the state this afternoon.
Gov. Henry J. Allen announced this
morning just before starting out on
tour of the district north of Pittsburg-
The governors northern objective was
the plant of the Acme company north
of Mulberry.
A crew under military escort began
operation of that pit yesterday morn
ing. c.. d. Sample, one of the states
receivers. announced that eight or ten
cars of coal would be shipped out of
the coal field by night. The first car
load went from Pittsburg late yester-
day and was consigned to Coldwater,
Kansas
whether members of the four
brotherhoods of railway employees
working out of the coal field will re-
fuse to handle the coal will be de-
termined at n meeting late this after
noon. The railway employees leaders
expect word today from the national
organizations upholding their request
to refuse to handle the state-mined
coal.
The theft of seven cases of dynamite
and a large quantity of dynamite caps
from a mine ma agazine near Franklin
last night caused a hasty dispatch of
a squad of guardsmen to Franklin.
Department of justice agents also are
at work on the case and it was said
that arrests are expected before night.
Only the Wilson mine. northeast
of here. reached production yesterday.
Today steam shovels at the Acme
mine fourteen miles northeast and
three carbin mines, twelve miles
south, were to begin to swing under
the hands of volunteers.
Members of the Kansas national
guard are guarding the mines. No
one is allowed to pass the sentries
without proper authority. Sentries
examine the passes with one hand
grasping a rifle whose bayonet presses
the visitors belt
Can't Haul it Away.
The volunteers were working faster
than the coal could be hauled to the
cars by the ahlules, but this condition
is to be remedied today, when it is
planned to send three more cars of
coal from the Wilson pit to keep the
home fires burning" In addition to
the pit now being operated, three other
pits will be opened today.
1t was officially announced last
night that there are 500 volunteers in
this district. only SUI are caInpeu
near the pits, the remaining 500 being
quartered in Pittsburg with the troops
which are not on guard duty These
500 men are awaiting the call to work.
but it will be impossible to use all OF
them for several days.
A representative of the operators
said today that he knew nothing OF
the operations as the receivers had
taken over the work and had almost
taken possession of the offices. How
ever. the representative added that
there was fully 100000 tons that could
be uncovered in the pits in Kansas and
175.o00 tons in the pits across the line
in Missouri. Altho these pits are in
Missouri. they are included in district
IA of the United Mine Workers. Just
what arrangements will be made be-
tween Governor Allen and Governor
Gardner relative to the Missouri pits
is not known as plans have not been
made for the operation of pits outside
Of the state.
as Cars Per Day Soon.
A representative of the railroad
brotherhoods announced tonight that
no reply had been received from the
national officers to the request for tu-
f(fOnfinupd on IBupe