Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-04-07
COUNCIL REJECTS MINERS Bill.
FOR DIGGING COAL DEC. Is, Il
City Fuel Administration Has Deficit Which May
Reach $4,000 and Claim Of Sand Coulee Not
Just Is Sentiment Of Majority.

Adopting the majority report Of the
auditing committee, the city council
! Tuesday evening declined by vote u
four to six to relinquish profits realized
from the sale Of coal produced By the
miners at Sand Coulee December 13 and
Il and sold through the fuel administra:
tion A bill for 1915, alleged to represent
council several weeks ago by the Cas-
cade County Trades and Labor as
sembly as assignee of the miners, aud
until Tuesday was under consideration
with the auditing committee. In report
ing on the BILL johnson and Stevens
were in favor Of rejecting the account,
but Wilson, the third member, did not
sign the report and after Stevens had
moved for rejection of the bill he moved
as substitute that it be allowed. Three
aldermen voted with Wilson and four
with johnson and Stevens.
| In support IF his position Wilson az
serted that he did not sign the report
for the reason that the coal belonged to
| the miners and that the proceeds belong
ed to them. Stevens replied that the
coal had been seized the same ss all coal
taken over by the administration and in
| timated that some Of the coal sent into
the city by the miners had been loaded
on cars or shot down in the mines the
day before by the volunteers, which
brought on general discussion of the
matter and complete review of events
leading up to the presence of the miners
| in the A. G. NJ properties and s,1D-
sequent developments.
Deficit May Be $4,000.
In referring to the financial condition
Of the fuel administration Stevens said
that in recent report it was shown that
deficit Of $500 then existed, but that
since then obligations have been found
that will perhaps run the total up to
$1,000 Mayor Louis Newman stated
that he was unable to see where the
city is morally obligated TO relin1uish
the profits. but that he was not inform
ed as to the legal status of the case. The
miners. he said, did not expect - be
paid when they went into the mines and
in view Of that fact and the administra-
the assemb!ys claim a just one. The
mayor also stated he understood that ut
the time the mines were turned over to
the miners they had been already sur
rendered to the governor. and the gov
ernor had. in turn. turned them over 10
the city fuel administration.
Secretary A. r. Woodruff Of the as
scmbly. and the treasurer. were allowed
the privilege Of speaking from the third
Just and that the miners were easily
within their rights in demanding pay
ment.
Vote on Substitute.
Wilson's substitute motion to allow
! the bill was rejected on this vote:
Ayes: Wilson, Booth. Joyce, Shanley.
Noes: Hubbard, Stevens. Grover, Sui
liyan, johnson and Sheppard. Stevens
motion to deny the bill was then carried
by acclamation.
! That the council may reverse its pre-
vious position in reference to the banner
ordinance and find an occasion on which
striking labor organizations will he al
lowed to carry banners on the streets
was suggested when the Cascade County
Trades and Labor assenbly's application
for permit to display carried signs in
front of firms now considered unfair
was reported out by the police committee.
This committee advised against issuance
Of such a permit, but after different
!, OF the aldermen had expressed their
views it was referred to the public well
fare committee for report next week
Matters not Immediately associated
with the application for permit were