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The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, September 26, 1919, Image 1

Image and text provided by State Historical Society of Missouri; Columbia, MO

Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89066996/1919-09-26/ed-1/seq-1/

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Statement of the
Federal Lead Co.
To Jts Employees
and to the Public
On September 18th a circular letter
addressed presumably to all of the
Lead Companies in this district and
signed by Edward Crough, Vice-President
of the International Union of
Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, was
received by this company, the letter
being as follows:
"Owing to a great feeling of
dissntisfaction and unrest exist
ing among your employes at this
time, I respectfully ask you to
met a committee of your em
ployes in conference, to the end
that sqme satisfactory agree- ,
ment may be reached, regarding,
the right of the employes to be- .
long to a Trade Union, the wag
es he is to receive for his labor, ;
as well as improvements in gene
ral working conditions.
"The great majority of your
employes are members of the In
ternational Union of Mine, Mill
and Smelter Workers, and a gen
eral feeling exists that they are
being discriminated against be
cause of said affiliations. Be
cause of this alone, if nothing
else, we feel a conference should
be held at the earliest possible
date and all possible done to bring
about a satisfactory ngreement so
that peace and harmony may ex
ist and production go on unceas
ingly. . "Your employes instruct me to
Tequest your permission for In- '
ternational officers to take part
in any such conference that thay
may give their assistance in the
settling of existing grievances.
"Asknig you to give this mat
ter serious attention immediately
and that you notify me at Bonne
Terns, P. 0. Box 126, by Sept. 25,
We do not recognize the right of an
officer of a miners' union, unless ho
is himself one ol our employes, to
speak for our employes, and we have
tharofnrn nnf wnllMli tft t.hlH letter.
but we are taking this opportunity of
publicly stating our position wiui rei
nvannn a nninfa rninAii in Rflid lot-
tor, as well as certain facts pertaining
10 our mining operculums.
1 Wo in nt nil limps clad to meet
.. nAmm;f-AA nf mi num otnnlnvps if
lUllIlillVKCt. w. j. j ,
they have anything whatever to take
un with us. irrespective oi waeiner
such employes are members of a un
2. We do not discriminate against
any of our employes because oi tneir
mntrnka rf a minflttl' Union.
3. The working conditions of our
employes compare very favorably witn
those of the best equipped and best
conducted mines in tne United States
: MBm in all aiinh matters as
change rooms, housing, safe-guards
from accidents and skilled medical at-
in all oaaoa nf arriiipnfc.
4. We have also had in effect for
some years a life insurance system
whereby, without any charge upon the
1 Mn.,l anh ruvlir from fltlV
viujuuyc, diiuuiu .
cause to an employe of ours, of one
year's service or more, a substantial I
. - Vi Kanafipinrv. -
payment is muuo w im
6. We have had in effect for. some
years a pension system for employes
of long service and advanced age.
6. As to wages, due to the high
cost of living, we are paying a wage
scale within about 10 per cent of the
highest wages paid during the war
time price for lead and with the great
drop in lead price after the armistice,
we were confronted with such a heavy
loss in operating our lower grade
mines that early in January of this
year we closed mines B, 6 and 11 and
in March also closed mines 1 and 4,
keeping in operation only the two
better-grade mines Nos. 9 and 12.
Even upon this better grade ore our
operations for the first seven months
of this year have shown a loss of
$270,072.58 upon the basis of account
ing laid down by the Federal Govern
ment. - '
FEDERAL LEAD CO.,
Per H. A. GUESS, Pres.
His Own Father
WalkedBeforeHim
Capt. W.- A. Kennedy returned the
last of tne ween, irom tne annual .
A. R. encampment at Columbus, Ohio,
which he reports was a great gather
ing, with about 30,000 Federal and
Confederate veterans in attendance,
for several years. Perhaps the rea-
on nniiaiinl attendance
ouu iwi oww j TV"
was that the Government offered the
old veterans railroad transportation
of the very unusual low price 01 nan.
Capt. Kennedy tells of the following
remarkable occurrence- in connection
with his trip: It has long been an un-
: i.nk;i. wifl, him tn writn his
son, W. A. Kennedy, Jr., in New York
City, each week and every week,
tut on account of making this trip
the Captain was unable to get off his
regular epistle that week, which onus
' sion caused his son more or less un
nn hi Pantain's return
vttaiucBa. v v. --1 - .
home he found awaiting him a letter
from his son, in wiucn ne spoxe 01 n
great ' disappointment in failing to
f 1,; ftLor at the accustomed
iiwnrAiwi" ,
time, but that on the evening succeed
, it nrhih tho father's let-
ter usually reached him, that he and
1. . i.t.AA ill ftranfl. on Fifth
Avenue and 42nd Street, the leading
moving picture mouse m tne country,
where was flashed on the screen
e i.u 1 A vatnrana' reunion in
; BCUIU)3 Ui Hie v - " - ,
1nliim"iHi. . flmasioe y ?nn and
Attendance Offiqer
Working Overture
County School Attendance Officsr
R. C. Tucker is working overtime dur
ing firaf fiava nf Krhnnl. in ffet-
ting things in shape for the proper en
forcement 01 tne compulsory cnooi at
tendance law. Mr. Tucker is a strong
Hoiiovo. in rio-M law enforcement, and
his voluminous daily mail is but
slight indication 01 tne many oub
he is now being called upon to per
form. He now has assistant attend
ance officers in the larger towns of
tho rniintv. which should relieve him
of many details, as such assistants
have been given every power possessed
by Mr. Tucker, except n regard to ex-'
emptions from scnooi attendance,
which still remains exclusively in the
hands of the Attendance Officer.
three letral exemp
tions to minors from regular school
attendance, and Mr. Tucker is stick
ing close to the law. He has not yet,
nor does he propose to, issue a single
exemption from school attendance un
less the applicant comes under the
strict legal provisions for such ex
emption. The three legal exemptions
are: Mental incapacity, pnyaii.ni m
Jtv nnA rnmoletion of elemental
studies 8th grade work. He says it
is truly remarkable tne many ana va
ried excuses on which is based re
quests for exemption. But he turns
a deaf ear to all such requests, unless
they come under one 01 tne mrue le
gal exemptions. He requests The
Times to state that personal calls, as
well as letters, will be useless for the
purpose of asking exemption irum
anal oiianrlnncA fnr nnV Other than
the three reasons above stated.
He has been asked Tor exemptions
for children to assist the parents at
home for a few dayson most urgent
work, the parents representing, in
some instances, that assistance of
their children was necessary in order
to gather their crops, or break their
ground, as it was impossible to hire
help. But even in such cases Mr.
Tucker has refused to grant the de-
'.-A .vnmntlnn foaWniT that Rlirh &C-
nucu -
tion on his part would "pull the teeth
from the law, wnicn ne teeis ne aa
no right to do. However, he stated
tun4- DM..n m.aiMtni'iniia raRPB. while
1IIO.b ill ouvii inn........ ,
the parent would have to assume re
sponsibility tor any prosecution umi
:ul AnD..n that iifh nrng.
flllgnt yvooiviy wiouv, .., (
ecution would not be the result of any
action on his part.
While in Bonne Terre Tuesday se-
noaiatfiTif attanilnnrA offi-
iuuwuk 011 - - .
cer and looking after other matters in
connection with nis omce, mr. mciier
had his attention called to a case of a
vonnrtesi aa heme aere
Kill niiv i u . t. - . ( " - ,
i:- : n.UAnl aftAti1iiTH. anrl unon in
IlUb III BVHWl B....v., t
vestigation he louna wib me ouu
was married. While he had thought
. u .. nHHA4,iAoiiir Avorvrhino had been
"sprung on him" as Attendance Offi
cer, he was iree to admit
new method of escaping school at
tendance. This childor rather mar
...v.nm nnvinir neither narents
lieu nuiiHi ' !- ' .
nor guardian to "fight it out" with,
irt- in na nor finH kpeointp of her
husbond, with the blessings of At
tendance Officer Tucker. But ne sun
contends that the new compulsory at
icnuuncc BCZ1UU1
jy "compulsory,
tendance school law is reany pracutai
Grand and
Petit Jurors
At ononiol mootinc of the County
Court last week the following names
and Petit Ju
rors for the regular November term
of Circuit Court.
Petit Jurors
01 tA-itnaVtii Tator T.AUT
la aim viv. ,
rnln Tomno I nnninDhnm. J HrTlftH AD
nlhorrv. Henrv Beattv and E. E.
ow 11m.
Randolph township Wm. totraugnn.
Pnllc And Irfl
UVO J.1UIDCJ,
a Unmotna Taa. MpClananaTl.
John Tullock, Thos. Ruffing and John
Hibbits.
Perry township J. J. Bowman,
Ailiua iiui wtirei
Cook; Alternates Abe Ringer, Jess
Strong, Wm. Dain ana turner ciuck
l.nn tnurnchin Tnhn Rlish. Allie
West and Lynn Mutkin; Alternates--
Henry r orsnee, onn ionuon aim xmi
... f..An
Liberty townsnip rvoov. nuiuua
anH .T. A. Eaves: Alternates W . L.
Matkin and Raymond Oraham.
11. tnumchinWIUinm Cruncls
llldlivil " ....
ton and Monroe Kerlagon; Alternates
-D. A. Moon ajid ineo. norn.
Dig IUVCI WWllOiiif " v
nnri I, r. Alternates oua. n.u
on1 JiVa Mnttv.
PnrllorTi num sh 1 1 Albert Wll-
kerson and Pink Welker; Alternates-
Philip Uruner ana J. . wooas.
Grand Jury
Rnndnlnh townshin Emmett Belk
II0U B11U Jm Jt VJW11VVW
St. Francois township J. C. Wat
son ana a. w, junzer.
Perrv townshin W. R. Bruce ana
Big River township J. M. Perkins.
Marion township en oneway. :i
Liberty township Bert. Beard.
Pn rll ot A tnumshiri H. RPfti 't -
lrnn otwnshin R. L. Sherrill and
M. Bisplinghoff. i ..
ploaptiro," writes the son, "when soon
my own latner, aisunctiy recoenisss
bleij walked out before me. Then it
su 1 nw whwour usual letter had
not arrived." -
Ward 'Fleming went to St. Louis
WAilnnariao fr anrnll in. the Wfljihinir
ton University Medical School.
Of Course, When One Is Soused to Gills, There Is
No Desire for More Drinks.
SSEWSf-' where where pick MmSi,
' T0M Wti ANP HARRY J--p; rf
SmS&ii&miBm
Knocking at
. Our Door
Numerouslv signed petitions are just
now hpinc Hiyned un for nresentation
to the County Court of St. Francois
county, asking that body to can a
special election at an early date to
vote on a proposition to acquire a
County Hospital. For this purpose a
special tax levy 01 not to exceea 2
mills taxes is to be levied on the coun
ty taxes, for a period of not to ex
ceed twenty years. The facts appear
to be that a 1 mill levy would De sui
ficient to carry out the purposes of
the petitioners, to not only buy and
equip the hospital, as well as to keep
up any possible dencit tnac may occur
in the proper operation of such insti
tution. The Dlan in mind is to buy the Cari-
eton College property in this city,
which is thought can be purchased for
not to exceed one-nith 01 its actual
worth. In other words, it is thought
this splendid property can be secured
for hospital purpose for not to ex
ceed $20,000. Besides fifteen acres of
land, there is included in this proper
ty a number of splendid brick and
stone buildings, une ouiiuing uiun,
Science Hall, a large and splendid
buildine. which was constructed in
1912, cost about $40,000, and contrae-1
tors claim that a Bimilar building)
would now cost about $80,000. With
but few changes and additions, this
building could be converted into a
modern and model hospital, with but
a minimum of expense.
It is the opinion of the hundreds of
signers of these petitions that thi3 is
a very exceptional opportunity for St.
Francois county to equip itself with
a most exceptional hospital property,
where pay patients, as well as county
patients, can be treated. Neither
does the supposition appear to be
largely overdrawn that, with good hos
pital service, the pay patients would
soon be sufficient to carry the county
patients.' If that is true,, then it would
appear to be one of the best possible;
Investments thr.t the county could
make, as it would relieve it of consid
erable burden in having its patients,
which are constantly ; increasing in
number, treated at a nominal expense
to the county. -
Then, too, such an Institution would
be a very great convenience to the
people of this and 'adjoining counties,
as this property could readily be con
verted into one of the finest hospitals
in the State. The spacious grounds
could also be utilized to advantage in
farming and recreation grounds aor
convalescing patients. If thi propo
ritidn meets with the approval of a
majority of the voters of thiounty,
then St. Francois county ,' will again
lead the way among the progressive
counties of the State in taking a long
NO, WE PONT WW NO BONO
liW, -MiTALOTOF VMllED FOR
CXPEW5E- f XTMVA6MCE!-WHr,
advance step for the good of man
kind. It will require some work to put
this splendid proposition over, but
will it not be worth the honest and ear
nest effort of every progressive citi
zen to get industriously to work for
this proposition?
County Court
Inspects Roads
County Court was in session one day
last week and drew the Grand and
Petit Jurors for the next regular term
of the St. Francois county circuit
court, which will convene on Nov. 10th.
They also disposed of some other
pressing business.
The Countv Judees also spent sev.
eral days in looking over and famil
iarizing themselves with roads in dif
ferent parts of the county. They are
doinir evcrvthine in their power to
keep the roads of the county in the
best possible condition, which often
proves to be a somewhat difficult
task, with the small amount of money
that is usually at their command for
that purpose.
But they are doing their work re
markably well, when it is considered
that the road fund is now. and gene-
rallv is. somewhat overdrawn. The
in 1 Times believes that all of the County
Judges have reached the conclusion,
as anyone else would when put to the
task of seeing to their upkeep as the
County Court is, that the one and on
ly way to provide tor permanent gooa
roads is by voting a good roads bond
issue. A term as County Judge will
convince anyone, The Times believes,
or tne aitogetner surpassing impor
tance of permanent good roads
roads that will not have to be worked
over after every hard rain.
On Monday the County Judges held
another ibrief session and transacted
a little business. They also visited
the experimental road, that is being
constructed at the entrance to the
Flat River road, for the purpose of
inspecting the work that is under
way there. The work that is going on
there appears good, and the sample
will soon be ready to be opened up for
public use. It will be a concrete sur
face roadway,,. on the old rock foun
dation, which is as .solid as .the Rock
of Gibraltar. !, ; .
Mr. and Mrs. M. Di Riley, of Oma
ha, Nob., spent two days the first of
the week with Mrs. Riley's uncle, -a.
C. Watson, and family. They were
onroute home from a visit with Mrs.,
Riley's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert
0. Allen,- .New Madrid, to which
place they, have decided to return.
They returned to, Omaha to make final
preparations ef or moving back to
"Old Mizzoti'V which Mrs. Riley is
free, to confess is the finest member of
the entire family of States. ,
Our Cartoon
This Week
The Times desires to call special at
tention this week to its cartoon, illus
trative 01 the road situation in St.
Francois county, as our artist sees it.
We feel that this cartoon brings out.
in most forceful manlier, at least one
faulty characteristic which is dis
played by many of those who are op.
posed to the building of permanent
good roads that 01 selfishness.
The unbalanced one shown in the
cartoon is opposed to a good roads
bond issue, out the real reason for
such opposition is plainly discerned on
looking at the lower pictures, which
show that he already has a good road
in front 01 his place, which perhaps he
was aided in securing by the two other
parties he is now trying to convince
that a good roads bond issue would be
extravagance. There is an alarming
amount of just this sort of selfishness
now creeping out in arguments of
those who are opposed to a good roads
bond issue.
Th'ey have the full use and benefit
of good roads, and are therefore op
posed to extending such a boon to
.others. Of course they would not ad
mit that such was the case they
would even resent such an accusation
but if you will study the surround
ings of those who are talking against
a good roads bond issue, the chances
are very large indeed that they are
quite accurately represented in this
week s cartoon.
Notice, too, the look on the faces
of his neighbors, which clearly indi
cates that they see quite clearly the
position of their neighbor on this ques
tion, in which they are so deeply in
terested, and the fact that they per
haps assisted him to the good road he
is enjoying, causes a slightly veiled
expression of disgust to shade their
countenance. There is room for close
study of this cartoon, and especially
to all those who are fighting a good
roads bond issue for St. Francois comi
ty,, there are several lessons to be ob
tained therefrom. The Times man
agement is particularly pleased to be
able, to present to its readers -each
week such excellent cartoons, which
we. believe is fully appreciated by
many of our readers.
' The ice cream social at Aulsburry
Chapel Saturday evening drew a con
siderable attendance, notwithstanding
the stormy weather. , The affair was
for the henefit of the Free Will Bap
tistchuraHi and it proved both interr.
esting and profitable. The committee
in charge desires to thank the good
women of the community for their, ef
forts in adding much to the success
of the occasion. ; The amount netted
was $39.35, which was very good, con
sidering the condition of the weather.
Silver Dam Will
Be Opened for Fish
The Fredericktown Democrat-News
of last week denominates the decision
of State Game and Fish Warden Tun
Birmingham to open Silver Dam, in
Madison county, as an attempt at
"wanton destruction". That paper
further states: . ."
"Local people are anything ; but
pleased at the attitude of Mr. Bir
mingham. He apparently ignored the
fact that the owner of the dam, Mr.
Handlan, has already gone to consid
erable expense to construct a fish lad
dor to meet the requirements of the
law as interpreted by a former State
official. He also failed to make any
extensive inquiries among the people
of Silver Mine vicinity and fishermen
and others frm here, dozens of whom
will testify to having seert fish pass
over the dam. ! He also apparently ig
nores the tremendous loss that will be
entailed to the owners of the property
and those who have it leased for min
ing purposes."
The Times will state, for the bene
fit of the writer of the article appear
ing in the Democrat-News, (for which
Bro. Ferguson must stand responsible
even though he probably did not write
it,) that if the owner of Silver Dam
, las been put to any expense in con
structing a fish ladder, such money was
fritted away, as there is no fish lad
der about the dam. An alleged "fish
ladder" was inspected by Mr. Birming
ham and party, a sort of crevice cut
in the rocks on the east bank of the
river, into which the largest fish
could not mount, unless the river was
at high tide, and then it would per
haps be fated to pound itself to death
on the rocks andnever be permitted
to roach its home again.
As to making inquiries, Mr. Bir
mingham did that too, not on a par
ticularly extensive scale, however,
but sufficient to learn that "fishermen
and others" there have acquired a
habit 01 catching the poor deluded nsh
on the lower side of the dam, which of
ten accumulate there in vast numbers
in looking for a possible passage of
the dam, in gunny sacks. The fish
following their natural instinct to go
toward the headwaters, especially for
spawning, will take desperate chances,
and are therefore led into a blind pas
sage under the dam, the upward end
of which is closed, though considerable
water passes through. When the de
luded fish attempt to turn back they
are taken captive in gunny Backs.
The information obtained was that a
number of Fredericktown "sportsmen"
have become quite expert fishermen
with that kind of bait.
We could go on. and tell several
other stories of things the Birming
ham party were told goes on at the
dam and thereabouts. But what's the
Farmington wants no trouble
with Fredericktown. We are neigh
bors, so let's be friends. And above
all, let's be fair. Let's be fair with
one another, and also let's be fair to
the nsh, which are constantly becom
ing more and more important in hu-,
man affairs. By artificial means the
streams can soon be practically de
populated of fish, while if left un
trammeled in their natural condition,
they will multiply and propagate, and
furnish both food and pleasure for
humankind.
It is true that if fish were permitted
to pass Silver Dam that fishing on the
upper bt. r rancis river would be very
materially improved, to the great sat
isfaction of sportsmen in this and
other counties. Is there anything un
lawful in that? But while the supply
of fish would be increasing in the up
per end of the river, through natural
spawning towards the river's source,
is it difficult to understand that the
waters of the lower end would also
be more abundantly supplied with
fish? Human artifices invariably
succumb when they conflict with nat
ural laws. And finally, The Times
will say that nothing was further
from Mr. Birmingham's intention than
the destruction of Silver Dam, even
though it is not now, and apparently
has not for years past, been serving
any useful purpose. Therefore he has
determined to make only a ten or fif
teen foot opening through the dam on
the eastern end. This is his right, du
ty and privilege as the efficient Game
and Fish Warden of the State of Mis
souri. '
ANNUAL SCHOOL CARNIVAL
The annual carnival of the Farming
ton Schools will be held in the Gym
nasium of the High School, Friday
and Saturday, Sept. 26 and 27, under
the auspices of the Parent-Teacher
Association. Entries will be received
Thursday afternoon and Friday morn
ing, and the doors will be thrown open
to the public at 2:30 Friday afternoon.
At 8 o'clock Friday evening, there
will be a Community Sing in connec
tion with the program and at this
time the awards of the judges will be
announced. Everyone interested in
the progress of our school should at
tend the Carnival and see the handi
work of the children.
' LEGION POST IN DESLOGE
The Robert Jesse Ste. Gemme Post
of the American Legion, was organized
in Desloge Tuesday evening with a
membership of twenty-five, which is
expected to increase to fifty within a
week. Ste. Gemme was the only boy
from Desloge losing his life in the
war. He was with the 138th Infantry,
and , was killed in action September
21,, 1918. Mai. W, H. Comins, county
post! commander, assisted in organiz
ing the post. Charles E.. Porter was
elected post commander and Harold
Neustaeter finance of ifcer. Walter S,
Clark was elected a delegate to the
State convention in Jefferson City, Oc
tober 10.

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