liTo Prevent a Calamity Which Is Imminent" Governor Frazier and the Fuel Crisis of 1919 by Thomas Shilts

S ome thirty-four unionized li gnite coal mines were coals from the eastern United States thro ugh the operating in in the autumn of 1919. All Great La kes po rts o f Duluth , , an d were privately owned. The state had no experi ence Superi or, Wisconsin, but a late summer dockworkers' with publicly ow ned mines-that is, until Governor strike had delayed shipments 4 The Fa rgo Foru m Lynn J. Frazier issued an executi ve proclamati on in treated the ava ilability of eastern coal as front page November announcing the seizure of all mines under news on Se ptember 21, and on September 30, Fargo martial law provisions 1 He justifi ed this unprece­ coal dealers were reportedly "swam ped" w ith orders.s dented action on a fuel crisis suffi ciently acute to Other regions of th e state reported similar news. As invoke the public interest. The state's newspapers late as November 30, less than 31 percent of the found much drama in Frazier's acti on-one, for exa m­ state's imported coal needed for the winter had been ple, called it "a thunderbolt of defiance hurled into shipped. 6 While the supply of eastern coal was prob­ the teeth of the industrial autocracy of the states and lemati c, it was unlikely that native li gnite from th e the nation" but, according to another, "the rule of the western half of the state coul d easil y make up for the peopl e has been supplanted by the reign of the sovi­ shortages. There were no great stockpiles of the soft ets."2 While any marti al law decl arati on would seem coal on whi ch to depend since, in the words of State to possess inherent tension , the nature of the mine Fuel Admjnistrator Isaac P. Baker, "domesti c lignite seizure was generally obscured, as political meaning does not stock well , [and] . . . it deteri orates very was attached to the basically apolitical project of sup­ rapidly when ex posed to the elements."7 El sewhere pl ying people w ith fu el. At issue was the control in the United States, the coal supply was similarl y exerted over North D ako ta by the No npartisan precari ous, due in part to the volatile nature of the League (NPL ), to whi ch Frazier and many state offi ­ soft coal industry.8 The U.S . Fuel Ad ministrati on cials belonged . Both fri endly and hostil e medi a warned th e publi c of a possible autumn coal shortage depi cted the mine seizure as an expression of expand­ as ea rl y as June9 While such warnings had occurred ing NPL strength and the refore a victory for the other years and were, "not unusual ... the forewarn­ increasingly co ntrove rsial "great sociali st experiment" ing of a coal sho rtage was pa rticul arly grave in of the NPL administrati on.3 Despite such enthusi­ 1919." 10 asms, however, evidence suggests that a threatening The prospect of labor tro uble in soft coal fi elds fu el shortage was indeed at hand in the fall of 1919, across the United States was also at hand. Largely and , regardless of its moti vati ons, the seizure was because of dissati sfaction w ith wages, the United only the most visible of several pragmatic measures Mine Workers of Ameri ca (UMW), at their Se ptember taken to prevent it. convention , developed a li st of demands to be pre­ sented to bituminous operators, the most immedi ate N orth Dakota found itself in a worrisome situati on item of whi ch was a provision declaring all its co n­ as the fall of 1919 approached . Coal was the princi­ tracts in the bitumino us fi e lds can celled as of pal fu el for industry, transportation, and home heat­ November 1. 11 Negoti ations involving the UMW, the ing, a nd limited qu an titi es wer e avail able. mine operators, and federal government offi cials Approximately two-thirds of the state's coal needs ensued. In North Dakota there was a sense of cau­ were met by im porting bituminous and anthracite ti ous opti mism that lignite miners would not take part

6 EV E NIN G EDITION

VO L. 14 . NO. 269 GRAND "' ORKS, N, D .. WEDNESDA Y , NOVEM BE R 12. 1919. N. D. MINES ARE UNDER MARTIAL LA Centralia : ~JA:t# General Fraser is ByT I ON THE STAND' Ord~red to Sea That. Du ay c.nn.nWuOft ;a ~. W ,", Mines Are Operatln to Know Why Subm&­ nM$ Failed. MINE OWNERS AND OPERATORS' SCALE COMMITTEE WIll MEET OF THE STATE FRIDA YTO D~CUSS NEW WAGES, ARE TMEN

Lewi. Acceph S«rtllry SUitt Will Continue PALMER MAY I WiI'ln', Propeo.ition 8111 Until Workers and :I ~~!;~~~~~~~i "~ INTERFERE IN In Mtutime D« linu Of· f~r From Owillen T. Ne'''1LE W IS R£F~~ ES TO NORTH DAKOTA hlte New (oDtnd For CANC E L N. D. Nnot Year.

Headline from the Grand Forks Herald {top} announcing the seizure of North Dakota lignite mines by state officials during the coal strihe of 1919. Frazier's executive proclamation on Monday, November 10, 1919, gave the operators and the miners lillie more than twenty- fo llr hours to come to an agreement or face state seiZll re of the mines. The governor's deadline \Vas transmilled to Walt er P. Macomber. general manage r of the Washbllrll Lignite Coal Company in Wilton, in a teleg ram (below). Lynn J. Frazier (inset) \Vas first elected governor in 1916, but was recalled from office in his third term 0 11 October 28, 1921. C. Angus Fraser (right) became the com­ mander of the militia ordered by Frazier to seize the mines. Fraser (s tand­ ing, left ) is pictured here with other soldier employees of the North Dakota capital in 191 9: j ohll Bowell alld U. Sidney Mason (seated).

Bhlt&rck, .r. t: ov Ott: Uil9 I P ilscolllber . f11 ton, N. r . Havil h wed. proclol!l&t1or to J:ubl1o tl".3.t if no 1L~. ueTlt 18 not rescbed betwe n tr. • mi n.fa ar.6 ope ra t on be fore 111 Pa ho y 11th that .te.te 'lf1ll tste oyer lli l r ..

.... c~.r.te tt.e u: til uerrenoy 1... . be~r o • • roc; • . ib&t you oonfer w1 I !relll

7 in a national soft coal strike. The state's lignite indus· said. IS Mine operators attended TU esday's meeting, try was enj oying a boom period, and, histori call y, w h e n rea l n egoti a ti o n s began. Among oth er good rela ti ons between manage ment and labor had demands, miners sought the same wage increase prevailed .12 Uni oni za tion of the li gnite fi elds by the requested by the nati onal UMW leadership-60 per­ UMW, w hi ch bega n about 1902, had proceeded cent (although one paper reported that North Dakota "swiftly and easil y."13 At the Washburn Lignite Coal miners would accept a 30 percent raise)19 Labor Company, the largest in the state, miners were appar­ wanted the increase payable, not to the miners them­ ently willing to accept the operators' corporate pater· selves, but to the union's benefit fund for the aid of nalism.14 Moreover, the presid ent of the state mine striking miners elsewhere. The negoti ators reached operators association and the secretary of the UMW no agreement on TU esday, and th e meeting recon­ Wilton local both indicated that the contract binding vened on Thursday. Events reached an impasse mine rs in North Dakota was separate fro m the when operators balked at the demand to pay the Washington Agreement to whi ch the national leader­ wage increase into the UMW strike fund , fearing that ship of the UMW had obj ected. However, the secre­ it would violate a federal injunction against helping to tary suggested that a sympathe ti c strike by North further the national strike. The meeting ground to a Dakota's miners remained a possibility. IS halt in the earl y hours of Friday. The normall y mild­ On October 30 Governor Frazier telegraphed act· mannered Governor Frazier angrily told reporters "in ing UMW president John L. Lewis seeking a local a stormy scene that [operators] were trying to make a exemption from the nationw ide strike scheduled to 'goat of him .'''2o Without a settlement in s ight, occur in less than two days. oting the disastrous Drennan issued a strike call for North Dakota that effects a strike would have on hi s state, the governor was posted in unioni zed mines the same day. Critics requested "some working arrangement" to keep the charged that the governor had brought on the strike mines open , if "not in compa tible w ith the jus t by interfering in manageme nt·labor relati ons, and demands of organized labor." 16 Lewis referred the suggested that Frazier's ambiti on "to be the candidate matte r to UMW Dis tri ct 27 preside nt H e nry of radical labor for president of the United States" Drennan. Drennan, made aware of Frazier's propos· had so motivated him .21 Immediately, however, nei­ ai, sent out an order cancelling the strike in North ther North Dakota's miners nor operators had reason Dakota a nd left hi s Billings, Montana, office for to be pleased. Attempts to avert a mine shutdown Bi smarck and a week of co nferences with state offi­ had failed. cia ls , labor lead e rs , and min e operators. On Saturday, November 1, the nati onal strike began as W hile management, labor, and the Frazier adminis­ some 425,000 miners stopped work. In North Dakota tration pondered their options, nature lent a hand in all mines but one were still running. The Grand Forks hastening the turn of events. On Saturday, November American inte rpreted Frazier's acti ons as a labor­ 8, as the North Dakota miners' strike entered its first fri endly slap in the face to ' Wall Street and ... the day, a powerful bli zzard-"one of the worst ever expe­ great employin g interests." 17 rienced" so early in th e season-slammed into the Attempts to find a working arrangement to keep state and continued for several days.22 With 70 per­ the mines operating began on Monday, November 3, cent of North Dakota 's li gnite production halted due in the governor's offi ce. That meeting with adminis­ to the strike, and in the face of severe weather threat· tration officials and labor leaders featured a lengt hy ening to isolate rural communities al ready suffering talk by Dre nnan in w hi ch the district preside nt from fu el shortages, Frazier took a momentous step. praised the s ta te's NPL administration and the Abandoning hi s previous role as mediator, the gover­ far mer-labor brotherhood it represented. "We know nor issued an executive proclamation late Monday, we are fi ghting the sam e battle as the organized farm­ ovember 10 , stating that if no agreement between ers of this state and othe r states are fighting, " he operators and miners were reached by 6:00 p .m.

I. ' Governor's Proclamalion For Marlial Law is Fo ll owed by Special Co ll eclions, Chesler Fritz Library, Universily of orlh Supplemenlary Order Thai Gen. Fraser Place Siale Troops in Dakola, Grand Forks lei led hereafIer as ' Frazier Papers'l. Charge: Gralld Forks Herald. November 13, 1919, p. 2. 5. ' Coal Dealers Swamped as Wealher Thrns Cold: COllrier' 2. The firsl quote is from ' Our Coal Strike Victory: Ward News lFargo) , Seplember 30, 1919, p. 2. County Farmers Press, November 20, 19 19, p. 8; th e seco nd , an 6. ' Frazier Saved Siale by Qu ick Acl ion on Coal: Gralld Forks example of the vehe ment opposition La Frazier's action, is from Americall, December 26 , 19 19, p. 3. ' Frazier and Ih e Big Slick: Bismarck Tribllne, November 15, 191 9, 7. United Stat es Fuel Admi ni stration, Administrati ve Division, p.4. Report of the Admillistrative Divisioll, 19/7·1919. Part 1: Reports of the 3. Elwyn B. Robinson , (Lincoln: Bureau of State Organizations and of the Federal Fu el Administration Universily of Nebraska Press, 1966), p. 327. for the Various States alld Districts, cd. by George Edwin Howes, 4. Lynn J. Frazier 10 J. P. 1\,mulIy, November 5, 1919, Frazier (Wash in glon: GPO, 1920) , pp. 273·277; ibid. , 'Norlh Dakola: by Papers, Collection 212 fil e 1·3, Elwyn B. Robinson Deparlmenl of Isaac P. Baker, p. 273.

8 Thirty- four mines owned by the mining companies were seized part of the state seiZllre in 1919: Noonan (2) " Washburn Lignite Coal Co., Wilton Red Trail Coal Co., Medora Lillie Missouri Coal Co ., Medora Burlington City Coal Mine, Burlington Colton Coal Mine, Burlington Midway Coal Mine, Burlington Conan Coal Mine, Burlington Davis Coal Mine, Burlington Dakota Coal Co. , Tasher Humnwell Coal Co. , Burlington Lloyd Coal Co. , Burlington Superior Coal Co., Burlington Wallace Coal Mine, Burlington National Coal Mine, Kenmare Clark Coal Mine, Kenmare Crosby Coal Mine, Kenmare Diamond Coal Mine, Kenmare Farmers' Coal Mine, Kenmare Thompson Coal Mine, Kenmare Hellon Coal Mine, Kenmare Rich 001 Mine, Kenmare Sanberg Coal Co., Noonan Lorbeski Coal Mine, Noonan Bloch Diamond Coal Co., Williston Star Coal Co. , Williston BUYI11 Coal Co. , Williston Ellihorpt Coal Co., Williston Head Coal Co., Williston Map by Brian R. Austin Williston Coal and Ice Co., Willistoll

Th esday, Nove mber 11 , the state woul d seize the stockpiles in Duluth and Superior were generall y mines and operate them "for and in behalf of the pub­ regarded as plentiful, Frazier feared that shipments li c, with justi ce and fairness to all , until the present would be diverted from his state under orders from emergency shall have passed."23 the Railway Administration or Fuel Administration, While enacting measures to ensure operation of whose wartime control of fuel distribution had been North Dakota's lignite mines, Governor Frazier also reinstate d following the nationwide s trike. confron ted the equall y serious task of keeping non­ Accordingly, the governor fired off telegrams and let­ native coal flowing into the state. Although coal ters to va ri ous federal officials, including Attorney

8. Maier B. Fox, United We Stand: The United Mine Worl?ers of Vol. 43, No.4 iFa li 1976) , pp. 10-14. America, 1890- t990 In.p.: United Mine Workers or America, t990), 15. "Strike or North Dakota Miners to Hit N. D. Hard," Grand p. 169. For"s American , October 28, 1919, p. l. 9. United SlaLes Fuel Adm inist rati on , Final Report of 'he United 16. "Suggests State Take Charge or Li gnite Mining," Grand For"s States Fu et Administrator, 1917-t919, by Harry A. Garrie ld. American, October 31, 19 19, p. I. IWas hinglon: GPO, 19211 , p. 15. 17. "Inside the News and Out," Grand Forks American , October 10. Na ncy Hesselline Balazadeh, "The Process or Power and Ih e 3 1, 1919, p. 1. Relative Aulonomy or the State: Nonparli san League in Norlh 18. "Workers' Demands to be Submitted 'Iu esday," Courier-Ne\Vs Da ko ta, 19 15- 1922" IPh.D. disserta ti on, So ulhe rn Illino is IFargo), November 2, 1919, pp. 1-2. University at Carbondale, 19881. p. 217. 19. "Frazier Call s Operators and Miners Together," Grand Forks II. "Wa ge De mands Ad o pted by Cleveland Convenl ion: American, November 4, 1919, p. l. Submitted to Operators at Burra lo Conrerence," United Mine 20."Operators Fail to Meet Demands; Frazier is Firm," Grand Wor"ersJournal Vol. 30, No. 19 10ctober 1, 19191. pp. 11-1 4. Forks American, November 7, 19 19, p. 1. 12. Coll een A. Oihus, A His/ory or Coal Min ing in Nort h Dalw/a, 21. "Prazier Forces Strike of Lignite Miners," Minn eapolis t873-1982. IBismarck: North Dakota Geological Survey, Ed ucation Moming Tribune , November 10, 1919, p. 5. Series 15, 1983), p. 13. 22. "North Dakota Wakes in Blizzard to Find Mining at 13. Fox , p. 66. Standstill in All Mines Cont roll ed by Unions," Bisll/arck Tribune , 14. Frances Wold, "The Washburn Li gn ite Coal Company: A November 8, 19 19, p. I. Hi story or Mining at Willon, North Dakota," North Dalwta History 23. For a further discussion of the significance of Frazier's role

9 50_ ...... , ... _ .... P .....\H . Ie ...... c~ ...... " . ...." ...... ,. ...- .. c't . 11 . 191

Street and N".

Place .... lu.:.;..ruk.. _ ......

y • ~ h4A'-'J~...l.l..o.< l'.,1er.:lf .rc... c"it:: ... 11 L ., n - 6n tbl) ... L

A fll/rry of telegrams ensiled following the state seizure of the mines. When tile state militia ~ cwlOiW'lu 0U>a0) arrived ill Wilton to enforce the ,- WESTEa UNI governor's order, Walt er Perk ills ...Ii_ '- ... _ ,...... l_ Macomber surrendered the TEL~AM Washbul11 company's mine, but not HIlWCO". C; ".l.l0N , ...... before registering a fonnal protest ill

lite ...n .. ... ,.~ _''''., "'''Jcd I.. It... Ie .... this telegram (top, right). Macomber, ...... 0'01 • .....c ...... , ..., .t ...... I_ know" as 'the father of Wilton, ' (top, left) served as general manager Street and NCI. of the Washburn Lignite Coal

Place .. uc.t..1.n6ton., .,oJ . }"" Company for many years. Macomber wired

~4.- i.L..-a..u1.i.f. r_1.e couJiL.ion here ull rue! .. ..I.tU;..OI,. wI:.. Senator Porter}. McCumber in Washington, D. c., (left) to appeal for his assistance in this 'desperate'sitl/ation, referring to both Govemor Frazier's action alld the terrible winter weather, 1.I .. ;.a.1. on w1.t.u ~O'7 • .tr_~ er 1.O -~ • .....1... .. In .. c •• l.t.l __ _ which exacerbated the coal shortage. McCumber (above) was a Republican who IVan four six-year terms in the U. S. Senate. Ironically, he was defeated by Lynn}. Frazier in the election of 1922.

General A. Mitchell Palmer, Fuel Administrator Harry reaching a climax as Governor Frazier's November 11 Garfield, regional Railway Administration Director deadline for settl ement of the North Dakota walkout Richard H. Ai shton, and Joseph P. Thmulty, President nea red. On November 8, a federal court ordered the Woodrow Wilson's personal secretary, protesting any UMW to rescind its bituminous s trike call by such diversion. On November 8, Frazier sent former November 11 , and the Un ited States waited. Frazier State Fuel Administrator Baker, who had experi enced also adopted something of a wait-and-see attitude. In shipping troubles with the Port Cities' coal dock com­ a letter dated November 7, he acknowledged that his panies during the war, to Washington to further alert attempts at conciliation between North Dakota opera­ the federal government of North Dakota's plight. He tors and miners were probably destined to fail , but sent letters to Palmer, Garfield , and Tumulty, urgently remained hopeful that federal efforts would carry requesting that Bake r be given a hearing. Baker positive local impli cations. 26 When th e deadline apparently met w ith some success. Hi s telegram of arrived and the strike was ordered cancelled by the November 12 to Frazier reported ' the situation well national UMW leadership, United States officials in hand." All dock companies would "give preference expected much to be resolved. Attorney General in loading to North Dakota" for the next twenty-four Palmer, having received notice of Frazier's proposed hours z4 While Frazier attended to keeping eastern mine seizure, wired U. S. Attorney M. A. Hildreth in coal coming into the state, the North Dakota Railroad Fargo to the effect that the cancellation would "avoid Commission reiterated its intention to prevent alloca­ the difficulty" of a state mine takeover.27 Yet most tion of native coal to other states. 2S miners across the country stayed out, perhaps due to Events in the national bituminous strike were technicalities in the cancellation order, and, in North

10 Dakota, Drennan did not rescind hi s strike call. The the power of bi g-business interests that supposedl y strike was still on despite last-minute negoti ati ons at controll ed the ba nks, railroads, mills, and grain eleva­ mines across the state. tors. Corollary to this producer-cl ass id eology was an Wednesday, November 12, was the first day of evolving beli ef in the necessity of a farmer-labor state control of the mines. Frazier issued a martial­ alli ance to promote the League's program .31 An law declarati on effecti ve at 2:00 p. m. "to prevent a in creasingly vocal opposition had ari sen , however, cal amity whi ch is imminent. " The governor request­ whi ch insisted that the NPL had forsaken its member­ ed Adjutant General G. An gus Fraser to "take charge ship and instead offered a haven for socialisti c oppor­ of and assume control over" thirty- four uni oni zed tunists among its leadership ranks. The Grand Forks mines, ordering him to "call to hi s assistance such Herald, perhaps th e Frazier administration 's most male persons between the ages of 18 and 45 as he arti culate media critic, offered this analysis : "The may deem necessary" and to arrest anyo ne interfering thing foremost in [Frazier's) mind was not the produc­ with the mines' operati on. 28 He named J. W. Deemy, ti on of coal, but the infli ction of more sociali sm on m a nager of the Peopl e's Power, Fu el, a nd Clay the state ."32 No r did the fri endly press eschew find­ Products company in Kenmare, as state mine man ag­ ing higher meanings, insisting that North Dakota's er. 29 It was expected that miners would return to NPL administrati on had a lesson to teach the rest of work at the old wage scale, and that, under state the United Sta tes. "If the federal autho rities at management, coal woul d be sold at producti on cost Washington had foll owed the same tacti cs as the gov­ plus a profit of fifteen to twenty- fi ve cents per ton for e rno r of North D ako ta ," s tated the Nonpartisan the mine operators. Frazier wired Attorney General Leader, "they mi ght easil y have averted the walkout Palmer, North Dakota Congressman John Bae r, Fu el November 1. "33 Adminis trator G arfi eld , Secre tar y Tumulty, and Governor Frazier may have stopped to consider his Railroad Administrator Hines, notifying them of hi s acti ons in the context of NPL political philosophy, but acti on, and trusting that it would receive "the hearty if so, he had little time for such speculation. By the and full co-operati on of the Federal Government and morning of November 13, state control had become a Rail road [sic) administrati on."3o Although federal reality. The governo r and Ge ne ral Fraser se nt intervention had been expected, none occurred . telegrams to the affected mines, informing them of the takeover and as king mine managers to remain in N owhere is th e cleavage between th e pro- and anti ­ their positions as agents of the state . The UMW administration medi a expressed more clearl y than in ordered North Dakota miners back that same day. two basic inte rp retati o ns offered in the wake of So ldi ers, di s pa tched to most li gnite dis tric ts on Frazie r 's martial law decl ara ti on. Bo th centered November 13, ge nerally reached their destinations a around the . The NPL had co me few days later. to power in North Dakota in 1916, appealing primari ­ The implementati on of state control over North ly to farmers and successfull y endorsing ca ndidates Dako ta's li gnite mines was entirely peaceful and fo r o ffi ce w ho supported the League's program , employed few guardsmen, despite initial indications whi ch featured state-owned enterpri ses to co unteract to the contrary. "] have fi ve home guard companies

as mediator, see Ba lazadeh, pp. 20 1·259; "T he Governo r 's Garfield, J. W. 'I1.Jnlld ty, and Walker D. Hi nes, November 12, 1919, Procla matio n: Courier· News iFargo). November 11 , 19 19, p. I. Frazier Papers , fi le 1·1. This includes the fu ll text of Frazier's statement. 31. H . G. Te igan, "T he National Norparti sa n League" in The 24. Isaac P. Baker to , November 12, 1919, Frazier American Labor Year 800il, 1919, 1920 INew York: Ran d School of Pape rs, fil e 1·1. Social Science, 19201 , p. 289. 25. " orlh Dakota's Min ers' Ultimatum De mands Advance of 32. "A Flat Fizzle: Gralld Fork s Herald, November 14, 1919, p. 60 Per Cent or Else Im mediate Walk,o ut Wi ll Result ; Operators As k 4. Time: Grand Forks Nerald, November 5, 1919, p. 1. 33. ' No rth Dakota Will Ge t It s Fue l Sup ply: Nonpartisa ll 26. Lynn Fraz ier to M. H. Akers, Nove mber 7, 19 19, Frazier Leader, November 17, J 919, p. 3. Papers, fil e 1·3. 34. wGove rn or 's Proc lamati on ," Grand Forks Herald, Novernber 27. M. A. Hjldreth to Lynn Frazier, Novem ber 12, 1919, Frazier 13, 1919, p. 2. Papers, fil e I-I. 35. Jerry Cooper and Glenn Smith , Citizens as Soldiers: A History 28. 'Governor 's Proclama1ion For Mart ial Law, ' p. 2. of the North Dakota National Guard Wa rgo: Inslitute for Regional 29. A week ea rl ier, the company had offe red to tu rn its mine Stu di es, 19861 , p. 220. over for sta te operation , which the Millot Daily News co nsidered a 36. .. Marti al Law Proclamation Creates U nusua l it uation; blata nt poli tical maneuver, since th e People 's Pow er mine, con­ Wil ton Mine Owners Wi ll Hold Confere nce Relative to Court troll ed by the NPL, was ' heretofore practically unknown ' in the Procedure : Gralld Fork s Nerald, Nove mber 16, 1919, p. I. li gni te in dust ry. ' Burl in gton Mine rs Return to Wo rk Today; 37. ' Nobody Runs Mines, But They Still Operate as Uni on Men Co nfe rence at State Capi tol Tomorrow: Millot Daily News, Take Places: Willis tOil Nerald, November 13, 1919, p. 1. November 3, 1919, p. I. 38. "Local M in es are Agai n Opera tin g,· Noonan Miner, 30. Ly nn Frazier to A. Mi tche ll Palme r, John M. Ba er, H. A. November 13, 1919, p. 5.

11 This photograph of the Washburn Lignite Coal Company appeared in an ad on the front page of a special edition of the Busin ess Bull etin , devoted to coal promotion. The Busin ess Bull etin was published by the Minot Association of Commerce and is dated j anuary 15, 1918.

full y equipped w ith Springfi eld rifles and ammuni­ negotIatIOns between management and labor. 38 On tion ," warned General Fraser on November 12, "a nd I ovembe r 20 the M inot Daily News reported that, will call out everyone of them if necessary." 34 As with one excepti on, ' The mines are still in the posses­ events progressed , it became clear that neither vio­ sion of the operators who are conducting their busi­ lence nor mass troop call -ups woul d be necessary. ness in mining coal just as before the stri ke."39 This Fraser's military force would comprise about thirteen was well after al l affected sites were under nominal men, "not much larger than a corporal's guard," most­ state control. Confusion about the mechanics of state ly membe rs of the Quartermaster Corps who had operati on might be attributed to the contrast between been employed at the capitol. 35 This discrepancy the relati vely weak state presence in outlying lignite between expectati on and reality led to a somewhat di stricts and the rather dramati c events in the state's comi c in cident when the mine seizure became nati on­ firs t, a nd majo r, mine ta keover at the powerful al news. On November 15, a movi emaker arrived in Washburn Li gnite Coal Company in Wilton. Bi smarck with ca mera equipment, hoping to capture The Frazie r adminis tra ti on had good reason to acti on footage of massive troop moveme nts . But expect trouble from the Washburn company, as the "when he found there was nothing doing," according governor had received a sternl y worded message fro m to press accounts, "he hired a few men and boys to do the company's general manager, Walter P. Macomber, a 'rio t' scene and took the next train for the Wilton on November 11 , protesting any attempt at state con­ coal area."36 The would-be journalist had been misin­ trol. The state reacted decisively. On the morning of formed about numbers, not locati on , for li gnite mines November 13, when other mili tiamen were en route in the di stricts of Wilton, Minot, and Williston would to their postings, Captain La Roy Baird a rri ved in be the trouble spots during the state's fi ve weeks in Wilton to assume the mine's management. Baird's the coal business, although non e would w itness credenti als seem to indicate that he had been careful ­ columns of marching soldiers. ly chosen for this deli cate assignment. Baird, a mem­ The state's intention was, w herever possible, to ber of the National Guard since 1907, had become a use soldiers as regional supervisors rather than as on­ prominent land and bank attorney in Di ckinson. He site mine bosses. The general absence of an immedi­ had served in General John Pershing's punitive expe­ ate state presence in the lignite fi elds confused min­ dition in Mexico in 191 6-1917, and was a property ers and operators, and was refl ected in media cover­ and disbursing offi cer with the Quartermaster Corps age Fro m the coal districts. The Willis/on Herald said in World War 140 Many of the other soldiers involved that men reporting to the mines on November 13 did were young World War I veterans from the Bi smarck not know for whom they were working, and opera­ area. For exa mple, Baird 's associate, Captain Joe tors were 'waiting for the state to take over their Underwood, was a twenty-six-year-old Bismarck auto mines. "37 The Noonan Miner believed that state con­ salesman. trol would last for eight days, to be followed by more As expected, the Washburn company did not will-

12 ingly surre nder its property. Company atto rney con fidently .. but got their shoes muddy upon Andrew Miller and the ge neral manager, Macomber, entering the tunnel and decided they had enough dig­ met Captain Baird in the Washburn offi ces. After an ging. They all retired in dismay after being in the exchange between Miller and Baird in whi ch the cap­ mine less than fifteen minutes." 44 tain expressed his readiness to employ force to seize As mines across the state resumed full operati on, a the property, Macomber formall y surre ndered the crescendo of pleas fo r coal reached the governor's co mpany's mines, but not before tendering a written offi ce . Between November 5 and November 27, statement declaring that he had yielded onl y under requests came in from local offi cials as well as private duress 4 1 The statement reserved the compa ny's ri ght citizens. In Arthur there was "not a pound of coal or to take legal acti o n against the seizure . Despite a sti ck of wood. " Mohall reported only a week's coal Macomber 's fo rmal protest to the state, the compa­ supply avail able, while Doyon found "not a pound to ny's administra ti ve staff remained on the job, and be bought or borrowed. " To a correspondent in woul d remain until November 17, after whi ch Baird Bu cyrus asking permission to dig coal on public land, would act as mine administrator, employing a new, Frazier's secretary (the governor was out of the offi ce appare ntly civili an , office staff. Mining did not for approximately four days around this time) w rote, resu me until th e n ext d ay, howeve r, b eca us e "[I dol not know who would object if you were to dig Washburn management, in anticipati on of state con­ some fo r yo ur own use."4S One wri ter struck a pro­ trol, had cancelled the train that transported miners NPL note and commented that, while bituminous two miles from Wilton , where most of them li ved, to was being imported into the state, it was diffi cult to the shaft site. get "good old N. D. coal. " Conversely, a farmer in The manager of the Dakota Coal Company also Flaxto n re ported that w hil e li gnite was avail able opposed the seizure, calling it "wilful [sic] criminal locall y, he owned "a bi g hard coal heater" that could trespass and a violati on of our constitutional ri ghts."42 not burn soft coal. 46 No t onl y did a coal shortage Despite this protest, it was reported that the state had exist, but shortages of each coal type compounded taken control of the Dakota Com pany's mines in the problem . To best ameli orate the fu el cri sis, the Tasker and Midway by November 15. The issue of state required a steady supply of lignite, bituminous, w hether the state was actuall y in possession of the and anthracite. mines in that region, at least in the opinions of some As the nati onal bi tuminous strike entered its third operators, remained unclear. week, fuel shortages ri ppled across the country. In The Williston distri ct saw a unique reaction to the Duluth it was acknowledged that the situation in the coal strike. Before the governor's takeover became Dakotas was most urgent, and the federal sub-region­ fact, the Williston Herald, on November 6, reported al coal committee in that city reported that every that mining conditions in the area were so bad that effort was being made to supply coal to those in need . seve ral regional ope rators actuall y welcom ed the In a moment of fin ger-wagging, the committee also prospect of state control as a reli ef. Williston took suggested that many communities had not "anti cipat­ steps toward preventing a fu el crisis locall y when the ed their winter needs by laying in the necessary sup­ city co mmissioners passed a resolution on November pl y" of coal, despite earl y advice from the govern­ 8, taking control of coal distribution and supplying ment47 Governor Frazier continued to pressure fed­ non-union workers to area mines idled because of the eral offi cials to keep coal fl owing into hi s state, send­ strike. The Grand Forks Herald praised the citizens of ing Bi smarck attorney Benton Baker to Minneapoli s Williston, who took "such actions .. as befits their on November 19 to work with the regional fu el com­ dignity as men," compared to "the miserable ex hibi­ mittee. Two days later Frazier telegraphed Fu el ti on made by Governor Frazier"43 Feeling the heat of Ad ministrator Garfi eld pro testing another anthracite battie, the Grand Forks American offered thi s version: holdup at the Lake Superi or docks. Dealers refu sed "Seven pro minent citi zens ... went to the min es very "to sell anthracite unless buye r takes double quantity

39. "Court Acti ons Develop Fa ct That Only One Mine in State 43. "Well Done, Will iston!" Grand Forks Herald, November 11 , Has Been Ta ken Over; Federal and District Court Halt State," Millot 1919, p. 4. Daily Neil'S, November 20, 1919, p. I. 44. "No Coa l Mined At Will iston ," Gra nd Forks American , 40. "Offi cers of Ability," Wilton NelVs, November 28 , 19 19, p. 1; November 13, 19 19, p. 6. see Lewis C. Crawford, History of North Ookala IC hi cago: America n 45. Secretary to the Governor to O. E. Roe, November 18, 19 19, Historical Society, 193 1, 3 vo ls.J, Vo l. II , pp. 496·497, fo r Baird's Frazier Papers, fil e t-3. biograph ical profil e. 46. Assorted correspondences to Lynn Frazier, November 5-27 , 4 1. ·Seizure or Mine is Formall y P rotest e d .~ Bismarck Tribune, 19 t9, Frazier Papers, fi le 1-2. November 14, 1919, p. 2. 47. "Fu el Situ ati on in Dakotas of Serious Aspect," Dululh News­ 42. ' Coal Stocks Are Bou nd For State," COll rier-NelV s IFargoJ, Tribune IMinnesotaJ, November 16, 1919, p. I. November 14, 1919, p. 2. 48. Lynn Frazier to Harry Garfi eld , November 21, 1919, Frazier

13 bituminous," he cl aimed. "This is di scriminati on in evidence, and , even if there had been, the gover­ against domesti c consumers who can not use other nor had no ri ght to seize pri vate property a11 d use it than anthracite."48 Meanwhile, a flurry of litigation for commercial purposes. Nuessle ruled in favo r of erupted over the lignite mine seizures. the Washburn company, warning that unmitiga ted On Novembe r 16, the Washburn Li gnite Coal executive power was tantamount to anarchy. He Compan y pe titioned the s ta te dis trict court in o rde red that the s tate release the property, bu t Burleigh County for a restraining order to prevent allowed time for the decision to be appealed to the General Fraser from holding and operating the co m­ state supreme court. "50 By delaying the ordered pany's mines . As a result, Judge William L. Nuessle release date, Nuessle avoided a direct confro nta ti on ordered representatives of the state to appear before w ith the administration , since Frazier intended to him on November 19 to show cause why he should hold the mines, regardless of the judge's decision .51 not order the Was hburn property returned to its own­ The state went beyond ignoring Judge Nuessle's e rs. Three d ays later min e owne rs fr o m the decision , at least in the war of words. The Grand Burlington distri ct near Minot and the Williston Coal Forks A merican noted that Governor Frazier could and Ice Company jointly took legal acti on. Appearing "summaril y deal with W. L. Nuessle fo r his unlawful before State District Court Judge Frank E. Fi sk in in terfe rence w ith the military forces."52 No such Minot, attorneys secured a temporary injuncti on , thing was attempted , although some of the media w ith an order fo r representati ves of the state to seem to have relish ed the thought. The d istrict appear on November 26 and show cause w hy the co urt's decision was immediately appealed to the state supreme court, with attorney , injun cti o n s ho uld no t be m ade perman e nt 49 vice president of the No npartisan League, represent­ Simultaneously, representati ves of the Dakota Coal ing the administrati on . Also, a w rit of prohi biti on Company, who had vigorously protes ted the mine was requested by the state, which , if granted, would seizure, secured a similar temporary injuncti on and forestall any acti on taken by other mining companies, show-cause order, this time for November 24, fro m such as those involved in the Minot district liti ga ti on. U. S. District Court Judge Charles F. Amidon in Again the ruling went against the Frazier administra­ Fargo. ti on. In hi s November 21 decision , Justi ce Jam es E. The fi rst judicial test of the mine seizure was on Robinson reiterated the opinion that Frazier had no November 19. Attorney Seth Richardson appeared fo r jurisdi cti on to declare martial law. Furthermore, he the state. Attorney General , who was blurted, the mine seizure was a case of calculated increasingly distan cing himself from the NPL leader­ "pandering to the labor vote. "53 Thus, the supreme ship, apparentl y took no role in this or ensuing litiga ­ court let N uessle's decision s tan d, o rde ring the tion. Ri ch ardson , in m aking his case aga in st the Washburn properties returned to their owners. Washburn company's acti on , argued that General Although having received a setback in state court, Fraser and Captain Baird were obli ged to respect the Frazier administrati on was supported in federal orders from Governor Frazie r, who was acting as court by Judge Ami don, a Progressive. Citing the co mma nde r-in-chief of the s ta te militi a . ri ght of the peopl e as "absolute," Amidon observed Furthermore, Ri chardson co ntended that the district that the coal strike cri sis was an actual threat to pub­ court had no jurisdiction over Frazier w hen he was li c safety, and that in such situations the ri ghts of the performing his mili ta ry functi ons. And rew Miller, public were primary to any concerns of capital or counsel for the Washburn company, contended that labor. He further concl uded that the strong opinions Frazier had no justificati on for proclaiming martial surrounding the mine seizure were manifestati ons of law, sin ce neither civil disobedience nor cri sis were political feelings:

Pa pers, fil e 1-3. 54. ' Ri gh I of Ihe People 10 Coa l Absolu le," NOllpartisall Leader, 49. Slale dislricl courls had been reorgani zed by legislalive December 15, 1919, pp. 5, 13, 15. aclion durin g the 1919 session. Nuessle now sat in District Four, 55. Ir win Kennelh Sme mo, 'Progressive Judge: The Pu b li c Fisk in Dislri ct Five. Secrelary of Slale, North Dakota Celltellllial Career of C harles Fremonl Am idon : IPh.D. d isserlalio n , Blue Book /889-/989. IBismarck: Secrelary of Sta le, 1989), p. 473. Universily of Minnesola, 1967), pp. 332, 340.

50. M Nuessle Grants Inju ncti on to Restore Mines,· Bismarck 56. "W ilton M ine rJ\lrned Back to Operators," Wilton News, Tribune , November 20, 1919, p. 1. November 28 , J 9 J 9, p. l. 51. ' U.S. Courl Upholds Governor Frazier: Courier-News 57. ' O[[icers of Abil ily,' Ibid. iFargo), November 27, 1919, p. 2. 58. ' Coal Produclion Gels Back to ormal : Ullited Mille 52. ' Wril 10 Slop Meddling of Judge Nuessle: Gralld Forks WorkersJoumal , Vol. 31 , No.1 !January 1, 1920), p. 10. Americall , November 21, 1919, p. 1. 59. ' Coal Reserve Law; Permi l Syslem Off, ' Millll eapolis 53. ' Fear Plan 10 Cu I Off Coal: Gralld Forks Ame ricall , Mornillg Tribulle IMinnesola), November 28, 1919, p. 1. November 24, 1919, p. 1. 60. ' Reslrictions Court Acl ion and State Control Features of

14 In 1901 the Fargo Record reported activities at the Washburn Lignite Coal Company's mine at Wilton, noting the use of electricity provided by lignite from the mine. Miners pictured here are using picks to trim the Iva lls and ceiling of an area in the mine that had first been cleared wit h dynamite.

I can not beli eve that just men , if their minds B y the time of Judge Amidon's ruling on November were not influe nced by the political passions 26, the high tide of state control of the li gnite indus­ w hi ch exis t in this s tate at the present time, try had already receded . On Saturday, November 22, would think of characterizing the peaceful opera­ two days before the supreme court's announced dead­ tion of the coal mines by the chi ef executive as an line, the Washburn company recovered its property act of anarchy.54 after manage ment came to a contract agreement w ith the local union. Miners would return to work imme­ This was not Amidon's first decision supporting the diately, to receive whatever pay increase, retroactive Nonpartisan League's re formist programs. Earlie r to November 1, was agreed upon at the settlement of that year, he had ruled for the state in a case chal­ the nati onal strike. This would turn out to be 14 per­ le nging North Dakota's 19 18 law establi shing the cent. Although relati ons between the Was hburn eight-hour day for coal miners. Although Am idon's decision in fav or of the mine seizure would be over­ management and the state had been strained , as the turned by the Eighth Circuit Co urt in 1920, the mines returned to their owners, the Wilton News had Frazier administration immedi ately read it as a vindi­ only good things to say about the state con tingent. ca ti onS5 Action on the show-cause order in Minot Captain Baird "was eminently fair in all hi s actions, distri ct court, which had been scheduled fo r approxi­ givi ng all parties concerned a square deal in every mately the same time, had apparentl y been delayed. respect. " Some of the praise was even extended to It was not until December 16 that Judge Fisk would Bismarck: "Adjutant General Fraser is to be com­ render his decision in fa vo r of the operators. m e nde d in p lacing s uc h a co mpe te nt man in

Present Coal Situ at ion: Grand fo,.ils I-/ erald, December 4, t919, p. 66. "Applica li ons for Fuel Swamp Administra tors: D"llItil News I. Tribune IM innesolal, November 15, 1919, p. I. 6 1. "State in Grasp of Cold Wave : Wilton News, December 5, 67. R. J. J. Montgomery to Lynn Frazier, December 13, 19 19, 19 19,p. 1. Frazier Papers, fi le 1-2. 62. "Frazier Saved State by Quick Action on Coal," Grand forks 68. Lorbeski Coal Company to Lynn Frazier, ovember 16, American, December 26, t919, p. 3. 1919, Frazier Papers, fil e I-I. 63. "Dock Coal Di version 10 Chicago Hailed by Definite Order: 69. "Willon Mines in Operation Again; Workers Return is Held Minneapolis MOrl/ing 'lhblllle IMinnesotal, December 7, 1919, p. I. General: Fargo Forllm, November 14 , 1919, p. I. 64. John M. Baer to Lynn Frazier, December 14 , 19 19, Frazier 70. R. R. Rutledge to Lynn Frazier, November 19, 1919, Frazier Papers , fil e 1-2. Papers, file 1-2. 65. Lynn Frazier to W. H . Groverman , December 8, t919, 7t. Resolution , Local 3796 UMWA, December 11 , t9 19, Frazier Frazier Papers, ril e 1-3. Further information on Montgomery cou ld Papers, fi le t -2. not be located. 72. -Medoras Department: Billings County Pioneer, November

15 charge. "56 The N ews provided brief biographical sketches of Baird and Captain Underwood, adding !Th- ~ -- Lk;yd -C-~~ic~~p~Yl that the officers had "made many fri ends during their I ! short stay here."57 After the peaceful resolution in i MIners and Shippers of ! Wilton, nearly all other coal properties in the state I ! would be back in the hands of mine owners within : Paradise Lignite Coal : ,i i' about three weeks' time. , ' i II is the Standard Lignite Coal for All Uses i The fu el situation in North Dakota and the rest of i : I : the United States remained critical. Although the I : nationwide strike had been call ed off on Nove mber 11 , most m..iners had not returned to work, and fur­ I i i i ther negotiations that month fail ed to reach a solu­ tion. Bituminous production for the week of I lI November 23 through 29 was only 47.4 perce nt of i ' normal, after having been as low as 29.6 percent for I~~~ th e first week of the strike SS Late November and early December brought fuel shortages and curtailed Be Sure and A}k ror LLOYO'S CELEBRATED business and industry in the Midwest. William H. I PARADISE: LIGNITE the Next Time You Order. Groverman of the sub-regional coal committee in I i Duluth said the situation was so serious that the com­ I Lloyd Coal Company mittee could not "al low a pound of coal to ge t out of 1 Tht, Publir Curdiall) Inlited to In !:>peet Our 'lint' i Burlington North Dakota [its] control. "59 While miners remained off the job, '------_. other soft coal states joined North Dakota in seeking a solution to the fu el crisis. Governors of several mid­ western states proposed various measures in this The tipple was (eatured ill this photograph of the Lloyd Coal CompallY 's mille in Burlingtoll, North Dakota, in all ad from regard, but the situ ation in Kansas, where th e state the Business Bulletin special editioll, devoted to coal promotioll oversaw mining operations by order of the state alld published by the Mill ot Associatioll of Commerce on supreme court, was most closely analogous to that in jalluQ/Y 15, 1918. North Dakota60 By the end of November, coal was coming in from In response, the U. S. Railway Administration Ito Dulu th and out of North Dakota's li gnite fi elds. Yet whi ch the Fuel Administration's di stribution powers difficulties continued in the mines and at the docks. had been delegated) regional headquarters in Chicago Soon after the Washburn company's property was agreed to stop diverting coal . Frazier received three handed back, the tipple used to load rail road cars messages assuring him that coal wo ul d not be divert­ burned in an apparently accidental fire, causin g ed, all dated December 11 , [rom Fuel Administrator shortages around the Wilton district. According to Garfield , Regional Rail way Administrator Aishton, th e Willon News, "the salvation of this immediate ter­ and Henry B. Spencer, chairman of the emergency ri tory is the number of small so-call ed country mines" centra l fu el committee of the Fu el and Railway w hich took up the producti on slack unti l the Administrations. Frazier also received support from Washburn tipple could be reconstructed and full car Congressman Baer, who brought "pressure upon [the) loading could resume 61 Coal fro m Duluth was also a Rai l Road [sic) Administration to stop usin g coal cars concern ; by November 30, less than 31 percent of the ri ghtfull y due to North Dakota traffic."64 Clearl y, state's imported coal h ad arrived , leaving North Frazier demonstrated that more than the li gnite sup­ Dakota with less than a twelve days' supply.62 The ply needed supervision . specter of coal diversion aga in loomed, and for once Earlier in December, Frazier sent a semi-penna­ North Dakotans, incl uding many farmers who cus­ nent representative to Duluth . In a le tter to tomarily saw themselves as pawns of the grain ­ Grove rman, the governor introd u ced R. J. J. milling interests in Minneapol is and St. Paul , had Montgomery of Kidder County as "a special represen­ something to share with Twin City residents, who tative of the State Administration" charged w ith were equally concerned about a steady coal supply. "cooperating with yo u and looking after the ship­ This concern was justified, for during the two weeks ments of coal into orth Dakota."65 This formalized a pri or to December 7, about 1,200 cars of coal had method for making emergency fuel requests, which been diverted to Chicago away from the Duluth theretofore had been rather irregular; in November region , w hi ch was composed of Minneso ta, the sub-regional coal committee had indicated that Wi sconsin , much of the Dakotas, part of Iowa, and appli cations for emergency fuel in the region should M ichigan 's Upper Peninsula. 63 Reside nts of be made to them. Consumers appealing instead to Minneapoli s vigorously protested this diversion, as federal officials in Chicago or Washington would only did Governor Frazier. waste precious time because those requests were sent

16 back to the Duluth committee.66 In North Dakota the Alfred Dale's posting in the Medora distri ct proved procedure called for consumers to make requests of relatively quiet. Reports on Dale were brief, confined the state Railroad Commission , whi ch would then to the Billings County newspaper 's folksy local news route requests to the s ub'regional co mmittee in secti onn Duluth via Montgomery's offi ce. Duluth offi cials Events in the Burlington district are somewhat welcom ed this m ove, so tha t by Dece mbe r 14, hazier, as two different, but related , legal actions Montgo mery was able to report that the coal situati on were pursued almost simultaneously, and the seem­ had improved and that all emergency orders had been ingly simple question of whether or not the state had handled 67 taken possession of the mines, and what constituted Fraser 's guardsmen we re still overseeing mining possession , remained a point of contention . It cer­ operati ons in most of North Dakota's li gnite mines at tainl y was not clear to the workers , for when Judge the turn of December. Soldiers encountered a va ri ety Amidon had issued his temporary injunction on of attitudes, ranging fro m offi cial hostility at the November 21, miners at Burlington and at the Dakota Washburn and Dakota Coal Company mines to total Coal Company's mines in Tasker and Midway staged cooperation at the Lorbeski Coal Company. In the a wildcat strike when they found out they were not early days of state contro l, Lorbeski 's owner w rote working for the state .73 The Burlington mine rs the governor: "Am certainly tr ying my best to have returned the follow ing Monday, but work did not things running."68 Perhaps the most diffi cul t posting, resume at Ta sker and Midway until several days o the r tha n at the Washburn min e, was in the later. 74 Amidon 's fin al ruling in fa vor of Governor Willi s to n dis tri ct. The re, Se rgea nt Am b rose Frazier's action all owed the state to continue opera· Gall aghe r and two o the r sergeants, Hedl a n and ti on of the Dakota Company 's properti es, although Okert, had to deal with the e ffects of litiga tion initiat­ another ten mines in the region were still under ed by the Willis to n Coal a nd Ice Co mpany, the Judge Frank Fisk 's state district court injunction , and region 's largest mine 69 Office sta ff remained at would remain so until after the state began returning Williston Coal and Ice until Novembe r 25, w hen the mines in December. Anothe r disagreeme nt Judge Fi sk's injuncti on was issued restraining the resulted, because, from the operators' point of view, state from operating its pro perti es and those of ten North Dakota could not relinquish what it had never o the r compani es in the no rthwes te rn counties . controlled and, consequently, had no ri ght to perform Gallagher ignored the injunction, and continued to a fin al audit of the company's records. The Equitable run the mine w ithout its regular managers . The Audit Company's ex amination would prove to be Williams County deputy sheriff alleged that the com· anothe r diffic ulty in reaching a final settlem ent pany'S managers had been "putting on day laborers between the mines and the state. for unnecessary work. . to make state co ntrol a fi z· zle." Despite such problems, the deputy opined that F rom the time of hi s proclamation, Gove rnor Frazier the soldiers were doing a good job. 7o Gallagher also al ways maintained that mine prope rty would be made a positive impression on the miners, for the returned upon a settlement between operators and Williston Lo cal 3796 passed a resol u ti o n , da ted the UMW. The firs t such agreem ent had been December 11 , thanking the sergeant for his com· between the Washburn mine and the local union, but mendable performance?1 In contrast to th e situa· it was not until December 5, less than a week before tions in the Williston distri ct and at the Washburn the nati onal strike would be resolved, that saw the complex, where the acti vities of Sergeant Gall ag her beginning of the end for state control. In Minot on and Captain Baird made front page news, Se rgeant that d ay, the No rth Dakota Coal Ope rators

21, 1919, p. 3. Tribul/e. December 23, 1919. p. I. 73. "New St ri ke Order in North Dakota Li gnite Fields Issued 80. Ibid. Today," Fargo Forum , November 21, 1919, p. 1. 81. W. S. [s icj Patrick to Ly nn Frazier, December 16, 19 19 , 74. "Mines Are Busy at Bu rl ington," Ward COllllly Farmers Press. Frazier Papers, fil e 1·2. November 27, 1919, p. I. 82. E. F. Lovejoy to Lynn Frazier, December 29, 1919, Frazier 75. "Operators and Miners Settle Diffe rences at Meetin g Held Papers, fil e 1·2. Yesterday; Miners Get Raise," Millol Daily News, December 6, 83. Ambrose Gall ag her to Lynn Frazier, December 13, 19 19, 1919, p. I. Frazier Papers, fil e 1·2. 76. C. F. Stoddard, "The Bituminous Coal Strike ," MOl/ lltly Labor 84. "Burlington: Ward COUllly Farmers Press, December 25, Review [December 1919). pp. 77·78. 19 19, p. 4. 77. "Coal Production Gets Back to Normal," p. 10. 85. "Local Ilems," Noollall Miller, November 20, 1919, p. 5. 78. "Operators See Desire on Part of Frazier to Obtain 86. Ibid. , November 27, 1919, p. 5.

Permanent Possessio n of Mines for State, W Bismarck Tribun e. 87. Ibid., December 25, 1919, p. 3. Nove mbe r 14, 1919, p. I. 88. Roberl Condon 10 Lynn Frazier, January 3, 1920. Frazier 79. • Martial Law's Reign in State Virtua ll y Ends," Bismarck Papers, fil e 1·2.

17 Association signed a contract with a miners' represen­ T he state's release of the mines was less dramatic tative for the Williston , Burlington, Kenmare, and than their seizure. The governor d id not "regard it Noonan districts. The miners would receive a raise necessary" to officially rescind ma rtial law.79 All of 14 percent immediately and reinstatement of the major news stories about the release report it as being January 1919 North Dakota contract until a settle­ a more or less accomplished fact. It must be assumed ment of the bituminous strike was reached .75 The that especially in the northern districts, where there agreement also specifi ed that no miners would be dis­ was a pe rception of limited mili tia presence, the charged because of their acti ons during the strike, release was accompli s he d w ithout ce re mony. which was significant, because correspondence to Although some mili tiamen remained in the lignite Frazier would allege that some operators had used the districts well beyond December 5 when the North state seizure as a pretext in an attempt to break the Dakota settle ment was reached , according to the local unions. An agreement to settle the na tional Bis march Tribune, all li gnite mines in the state had strike was reached on December 9 after much negoti­ been returned by December 23 80 In the Noonan dis­ ation between the national UMW leadership, opera­ tri ct, Sergeants Patrick and McPhee were still present tors, and the federal government. The government as late as December 16 when Patrick w ired the gover­ did not present a united front in this effort, and final­ nor asking if the two might be all owed to s pend ly President Wilson himself submitted a proposal that Christmas in Bi smarck.S! Sergeant Okert (who had the miners return to work immediately with a 14 per­ been part of the Williston delegation) was on duty cent wage increase, with a provision for the appoint­ near Kenmare after December 5, as one mine owner, ment of a special committee to investigate conditions in a letter to the governor, reported discussions wi th leading to the strike .76 This was accepted by the Okert on whether the new 14 percent wage in crease national union, and mine rs gradually re turned to would be re troactive to Decembe r 5 82 Sergeant work, w ith bituminous production for the week of Gallagher remained in Williston until after December December 14-20 almost double what it had been the 13, when he informed the governor that he would previous week, and approximately 86.4 percent of soon be returning that region's mines83 The norma!.77 That same week, most mines in North Christmas Day issue o f the weekl y Ward County Dakota were returned to their owners, although it paper reported that soldi ers in that region would be had been suggested, not surprisin gly given that the recalled shortly. NPL openly endorsed p ublicly owned mines, that As Fraser's men closed up shop in the li gni te dis­ "Gove rnor Frazier's temporary seizure of the North tri cts, local newspapers responded in mllch the same Dakota li gni te mines, under the pretext of martial way as had the Wilton paper at the return of the law, is merely preliminary to their permanent confis­ Washburn Lignite Coal Company mines. State cation. "7s Deemy, the state mine manager, contacted guardsmen were not only praised as capable mine operators and arranged for the final bookkeeping managers, but were also given warm farewells as if examination by the Equitable Audit Company. they were departing hometow n boys. "Lie utenant

Loading coal at Columbus, North Dakota, 1908. Th e horse teams are pulling coal sleds.

18 Boyd expects to be reli eved of hi s duties here soon," state management. The company's report is a useful said the Ward County Farmers Press on December 25 : source of informati on not reported in the press. For "We will miss the Li eutenant w hen he leaves, for he example, only three operators besides the Washburn is a big man in stature, a big man as a soldier, and a mine re fu sed to settle-the Midway Coal Company, b ig m a n as an America n citi ze n. "84 In Noon an the Red Trail Coal Company, and the Vadnais Mine in Sergeant Patrick seems almost to have been adopted Kenmare. Also, although E. C. Pratte of the Dakota by townsfolk. During his stay, he expressed his appre­ Coal Com pany, w hich lost the injuncti o n case in ciati on to "Landlord Glasso [who] puts up three good Fargo distri ct court under Judge Amidon, had earl y in squares a day, w hile Landlord Gits keeps the lobby at the cri sis refu sed to cooperate, w hen the audit sheet the Travelers nice and cozy."85 When an auditor fro m was drawn, he signed as having been agent of the Bi s m a rck appeared to inspect the books o f local state (w hi ch, technicall y, all operators who rem ained mines, the Noonan Miner took it as an insult toward on the job became during that peri od). The report Patrick . It "seems funny," complained the M iner, in cludes m o re o n the Washburn Lignite Coa l since Patrick "is an experi enced accountant from the Company, which refu sed to accept the state's royalty bank examiner 's offi ce."86 When the sergeant was allowan ce of twenty- fi ve cents per ton of coal pro­ recalled to the cap itol, the paper sadly bade him duced. However, Washburn did include in its li st of fa rewell. "During his sojourn in Noonan ," it report­ expenses the legal fees incurred by a law firm in tak ­ ed , "' Pat' made many fri ends here, all of w hom are ing acti on against the state. The auditors, not surpris­ well satis fi ed w ith th e way h e h a ndl ed the ingl y, recomme nded tha t this expense b e disal­ situation. "87 lowed92 One of the fin al aspects of state control involved Although the fu el cris is began to ease by mid­ inquiries to the governor fro m mine operators, local December, the strike had significantly lowered North union representatives, and the UMW district head ­ Dakota's total coal producti on, with 783,694 tons pro­ q uarte rs as the state removed itself from re lati ons duced for the year, or nearl y 30 ,000 tons less than between miners and operators. An example of this is 1918 and more than 90,000 tons less than 192093 In the case o f the Red Trail Coa l Com pa ny in the the Uppe r Midwest, drasti c fu el- saving measures, Medora district. The UMW di strict office wrote that including a reduction in rail service out of Chicago Red Trail operator H . A. Hellhake would not grant his and called "the most sweeping .. in history," were m iners the 14 percent increase and that the state was adopted on December 894 But by December 13, with still in control of his mine 88 The Medora Local 4253 the bituminous strike being resolved , such restric­ insisted that Hellhake would onl y grant the increase ti ons were graduall y lifted , at least in the region , for two weeks in November, and that Hellhake was despite reports that resumpti on of mining would not trying to close the mine and break the local union89 affect fu el supplies for approximately sixty days.95 Hellhake also wrote to the governor, protesting the From the governor 's perspective, the fu el crisis was all egati ons of bad fa ith . "I am w ith yo u in ever y­ abating. In a letter dated December 23, Frazier told a thing," he w rote, adding that he coul d not afford to constituent in Crystal, North Dakota, that "we have give miners the raise they were requesting90 The had no reports of shortages in the last few days," and Equitable Audit Company later called into question "I trust th at supplies will be sufficient from now on to the Red Trail's poverty. It found that the mine had take care o f all de mands ."96 Less than two weeks cleared $649.02, the second largest profit in the state, later, another North Dakotan was reassured that "the and that Hellhake owed the state $352.27.91 mines may be behind with their orders but J think El sewhere, Equitable Audit confirmed that, w ith they could fill orders w ithin a few days at least. "97 few exceptions, little profit had been made during As 1920 dawned , it appeared that the fu el cri sis had

89. Un ited Mine Worke rs Local 4253 to Lyn n Frazier, january 19 19, p. I ; "Fuel Ba n Wi ll Last at Least Three Weeks : Minneapolis 27 , 1920, Frazier Pape rs, fil e 1-2. Moming Tribune iMilU1eso ta). December 11 , 1919, p. I. 90. H. A. Hellhake to Ly nn frazie r, january 30, 1920, Frazier 96. Ly n n Frazier to Guy M. j am ison , Decembe r 23, 19 19, Papers, fil e 1-2. Frazier Papers, fil e 1-3. 91. Eq uitable Audit Company, Sialements o( Operations o( Mines 97. Ly nn Frazie r to Frank Hanggi, j anuary 2, 1920, Frazier Under Slate Conlrol (or Period November 141h to December 51h 1919. Papers, fil e 1-3. And Commenls Thereon. Frazier Papers, file 1- 4, p. 7. 98 . For more on the poli tical struggle between the NPL a nd its 92. (bid., pp. 2-8. opposi tion , see Robert L. Morl an, Political Prairie Fire: The 93. Third Annual Report of the Slate Mil1e inspector, Period Ending Nonpartisan Leagl/ e, 1915-1922 1St. Paul: Minnesota His torical Oclober 31, 1921, by john Hanwell, in.p.:n.p.), n.p. 94. "Governors 'la ke Steps to Speed Up Production," Bismarch Society Press, 1985) , pp. 262-36 1, and D. jerome Tweton, "The Tribune, December 8, 1919, p. 1. An ti-League Movemenl: T he IVA , ~ The North Dakota Political 95. "Ba n of Fuel for Heat, Li ght, Powe r Off in Northwest naditioll, ed. by Thomas Howard lAmes: Iowa State University Today," Minneapolis Morning Tribune IMinnesotaj, December 13, Press, 1981) , pp. 93-122.

19 Coal miners and horses from the Washburn Lignite Coal Company's Wilton mine in an underground chamber. This photograph appeared in the Fargo Record {1901). While the Washburn mine had electric powe,; other underground mining operations relied solely upon horses or mules to haul carloads of coal. effecliv ly ended, allhough the slate would still have would have struck without state intervention cannol dealings with mine operators whose property had now be known, but Frazier rejected the risk, given been seized. lhe combination of bitter weather and a looming national coal shortage. This explains his relentless Yel, even if, as the sympathetic media suggesled, fight for North Dakota's share of eastern coal, which the successful resolution of the fuel crisis was a tri­ was never imputed as a political maneuver. lndeed, umph for the Nonpartisan League, the League was his effort to secure imported coal was equally, if not not in a position to capitalize on thal victory. By the more, significant in ameliorating the fuel crisis than beginning of 1920, the NPL's power in North Dakota the controversial lignite initiative. Frazier's leader­ was already crumbling, as evidenced by the "defec­ ship, far from having been politically mobvated, suc­ tion" of three League-endorsed members of the state cessfully rescued the public from a perilous ordeal. administralion, the rapid rise of the anti-NFL INQ] Independent Voters Association, and Lhe general antagonism of the state's major newspaper .9 The organization was increasingly put on the d fensive; during the depths of the fuel crisis, Governor Frazier had seen fit to spend several days in Towner Counly stumping for NPL-endorsed candidates in a bitterly bout th uthor contested election. Within two years, a special recall Thomas hilts is currently pursuing a master's election would remove Frazier from office. degree in American history at lhe University o( orlh A genuine emergency prompted Governor Frazier Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota. His research to seize the state's lignite mines. He took immediale interests include agrarian radicalism and labor move­ action in lhe public interest, regardless of NPL incli­ ments of the early twentieth century. He holds nations favoring state ownership or PL visions of degrees in English literature and library science and forging a farmer-labor alliance. Whether the union has worked in public libraries since 1990.

20 Copyright © 1996 by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. All Rights Reserved.