coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

FEDERAL AUTHORITY ASSERTED IN
COLORADO TO END LAWLESSNESS.
United States troops are now in control of the
coal fields of Colorado, in response to a request
from the authorities of that state for federal as­
sistance in putting down the lawlessness that has
prevailed for several weeks.
Following the season of comparative quiet in
the Colorado coal fields, rioting on the part of
the striking miners broke out again during the
fortnight, and resulted in the re-occupation of the
district by the National Guard of Colorado. This
was followed by pitched battles between the strikers
and mine guards and the troops.
The most serious of these battles occurred at
Ludlow, where one of the tent colonies was situated,
and ended in the total destruction of the
camp and the loss of a considerable number of
lives.
April 25, a commission was appointed by Gov.
Ammons to investigate the troubles, consisting of
Chief Justice G. W. Musser of the supreme court,
A. R. King, associate justice of the same court
and three other persons. They left at once for
Trinidad, where the center of the trouble seemed
to ba located.
April 26 another battle took place between the
strikers and the troops and the town of Chandler
was taken possession of by the strikers. The
same day Gov. Amnions telegraphed President Wilson
for federal troops and the President conferred
with representatives relative to tbe situation.
April 27 President Wilson sent a personal representative
to New York to confer with Mr. John D.
Rockefeller, Jr., in an effoi t to have the latter
aid in ending the rioting. Mr. Rockefeller would
not interfere. The same clay the rioting spread
to other towns in both the Northern and Southern
fields. A special session of the Colorado legislature
was called to take up the strikes ancl the
rioting.
April 2S President Wilson issued a proclamation
declaring that the state authorities were unable
to cope with the internal disorder within her borders
and counselling all persons to refrain from
rioting or creating other disturbances, and at the
same time directed that U. S. troops be sent to
the scene to restore ordei. Six troops of cavalry
were dispatched to the coal field and assumed
charge of the situation.
In the meantime there had been other disturbances
and several of the niining towns had been
the scenes of battles. During the fighting between
strikers and the state troops a number of
the surface plants of the mines bad been burned
and one of the mines set on fire.
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 41
PITTSBURGH COAL COMPANY
OPPOSES RATE INCREASE.
Briefs in opposition to an increase of freight
rates asked by the eastern railroads were filed
with the Interstate Commerce commission
on behalf of the Pittsburgh Coal Co., the New
Pittsburgh Coal Co. and the state railroad commissions
in the eastern classification territory
when arguments in the case were resumed April
28.
The brief of the coal companies asserts that
exhibits of the carriers show that gross and net
returns for 1913, particularly for the coal carrying
roads, are more satisfactory than they have
been in the past. The situation, it is declared,
calls for an adjustment of rates as between traffic
and localities, unless "what the traffic will bear"
and tbe "value of the service to the shipper," as
determined by the interested carriers, are to continue
for the future. The brief asserts that mine
products, including coal, now bear more than their
share of the transportation burden and adds that
the profits earned by the roads on coal range
from 100 to 300 per cent.
WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINING IN­
STITUTE TO MEET IN CUMBERLAND.
The semi-annual meeting of the West Virginia
Coal Mining Institute will be held in Cumberland.
Md., on June 2, 3, and 4. The announcement
to this effect was made by Prof. E. N. Zern,
of the School of Mines at the University of West
Virginia, the secretary of the organization. Prof.
Zern made his announcement after the choice of
Cumberland by the members of the executive
committee had been confirmed by President Neil
Robinson.
The invitation, which came from the business
organizations of Cumberland, was received some
time ago as were invitations from several cities
in the northern part of the state. Cumberland
was selected because of its easy accessibility and
because a number of the Maryland operators and
miners wanted to entertain the West Virginians.
The coming session of the Institute will be
'•practical." A number of interesting papers will
be read on practical mining questions rather than
theoretical subjects. Practical mining men from
the surrounding coal mining states will attend
the Insritute meeting and will take part in the
proceedings. The detailed program will be announced
later.
Membership in the West Virginia Coai Mining
Institute is open to operators and miners and
other persons connected with the coal industry
of the state and it is expected that more than
200 persons will attend the Cumberland meeting.