Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1887 — Farmers Fighting for Coal. [ARTICLE]

Farmers Fighting for Coal.

A wide spread coal famine has been prevailing through the entire western part of Kansas for some time. Railroad companies have been shipping hundreds of carloads of coal through from Colorado to Wichita and eastern points, but only once in a while can they be induced to drop off a load in the western part of the fltate. One night last week farmers captured a train of coal care and took what they wanted. Private dispatches to Wichita say another mob of settlers took in charge another train and filled their wagons. They left their names and money for what they took, and told the train hands that their company conld airest them if they wanted to. Bonie of the farmers live fifty and seventy five miles from the railroad, and great suffering has been the result of the lack of fuel. The settlers complain fhaL-they are aLthfe mercy of the monopoly and they can’t get enough fuel to keep them warm. Trouble is is feared if the railroad does not fumisn fuel for the western settlers, as they have grown desperate: Upon one of the wagons which was filled with coal Wednesday night was the motto. “Goal or blood.” * „ —:——— - _— i :.