The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-05-27

A--~SS AAA~SSAAS VA SHO 4AlnctS III IL
Johns Lodge No. 2, District No. 2, Of
the Miners Benevolent and Pro, ective
Association of Illinois, was held Nav
Sd 1871. The miners met in their hall
and formed recession in order and
proceeded to locust Grove, near Du
Quoin. The meeting was opened at 2
O'Clock p. m, by the President, Thomas
Ballie, who, after stating the object of
the meeting, called upon George Pend
llngton TO submit a statement prepared
for the occasion, which is in substance
as follows: ...
In the month Of March, a year ago,
branch Lodge Of the American Min
ers Association, was established in st.
Johns, for the purpose Of securing to
the miners of St Johns, protection,
against the many prevailing ellis of
imperfect ventilation, as well as to acct
dents arising from other causes conse-
quent upon the parsimony Of our en-
ployers and bosses; alsoswith honesty
Of purpose, zeal and watchfulness unite
for the emancipation Of our labor. All
went on, 80 far as we know, agreeably,
without any seeming objection on the
part of the bosses until the month Of
July last year, when we had occasion
to complain Of imperfect ventilation,
also requesting the bosses to allow the
cars to be brought to the face of the
rooms with the mules, instead Of the
diggers having to 60 fom 80 to $50
feet and push in the cars This was
denied us, until the proprietor, Mr..
Halliday, of Cairo, desired an interview
with the miners, who nj once waited
upon him and presented their request
and their complaints MFR. HALLIDAY nj
once agreed, acknowledging thu our
request was not unreasonable, bat Ike
gentleman, said Il want my mines to
be one of the best ventilated mines in
State OF Illinois" At the same tin. q Mr..
Halliday was DESTROYS of entering into
a contract with the miners for the win
ter months; he named the terms upon
whlch he desired the miners to run; the
proposal was considered, and q propo-
sal made on the part of the men to MIR.
Halliday as follows: That We, the
miners of St. Johns, agree to work
from Oct lst 1870 to March 3Ist, 1871,
providing you pay 81 cents per bushel
IN the above named months. The
proposition was agreed to by Mr.. HaIli-
day, at the same time he expressed his
high regards for the miners Of ST. Johns.
Work was resumed, aud all went on easy
on the part Of the men until the miners
of Belleyille and Ohio aud Mississippi
Railroads received an advance from 4
cents per bushel to . cents per bushel
our men would have liked to have un>
done that which they had done, name
cents, but rather than sacrifice their
dignity as men they would work out
the contract as agreed to, although, it
was only a verbal agreement.
Two weeks before the expiration of
the contract we sought an extension Of
the 81 cents per bushel, at the same
time agreeing, should the extension be
refused, we would work out the summer
months at 8 cents. Mr.. Plant was ap-
piled to but receiving no redress. APP
plication was then made to MIR. Halliday
for to extend the 81 cents, but he, (Mr.
Halliday refused to grant the extern
sion. We, however, worked on, and
on our part agreeably until the outra-
geous conduct Of Plant was manifested
IN the shape of bookings, as much as
400 bushels for one half days work.
This was passed over with the expecta-
ton that things would get better, but,
ali! no, this detestabIe system, tins
wicked and abominable, atrociously
villisnous, so stroeious that nothing,
| think, in the history Of St. Johns APP
proaches it. Instead Of decreasing in
creased, so that on the Sd day Of April
1895 bushels were docked, as they po-
litely term it, and taken from the dig
gers hard earning on that memorable
day.
The next day the miners met in their
hall TO consider the best means, if pos
sible, to recover this ,295 bushels. At
Mr. Plant stating that we must I'll clean
coal or mining would be suspended
as that we were to provide ourselves
with rakes and riddles. Our careful con-
sideration on this matter resulted in the
following propositions to Mr. Plant
lst. How many railroad cars dIi you MI yes
terday, April 8, ls7ls
Opd W. ~ r,tr.x. - eII
clean coal providing you will pay u ior clean
coal.
LIST. How many railroad cars did You III yes
terdayS Answer 20. AT the same time we
knew, as the Daily Bulletin had been posted,
how many cars had been hoisted out OF the
slope on that day A m nittee was At once
appointed to investigate the matter aud 10
faithfully report
The following is the report Of said
committee:
Total amount Of cars hOisted out Of the slope
April Sd, 926, reckoning 70 bushels to each
car, will make $500 bushels hosted, allowing
ESQ bushels OF l2t bank cars to each railroad
car, would make rs cars and 20 bushels over
Remember that on the above named day 1925
bushels we're locked or taken from the miners
Deduct 1925 bushels from the 5000, as the full
amount hoisted that day, and 1928 bushels will
be left, equal only to 20 railroad cars, aud 225
bushels over.
And yet Mr. Plant Acknowledges to have
loaded 26, yet we are denounced as an unreaSon
able set Of men.
2nd Proposition. We, The mint r. OF ct. Johns,
will fill you clean coal providing ven will paw
price for clean coal
After lengthy discussion, Mr. Plant allowed
the miners to bring from the mines cars, aud
10 ,arlw I'D -.
no sooner made than accepted. Three cars
were brought from the bottom Of The slope 80
they had been filed the day previous, April 8,
1871, aud instead Of 40 bushels Of clear coal
being brought to daylight, the average Of these
3 cars was al bushels and pounds. On the
same day cars we're chain filed and brought
and submitted 70 the Weigh Budge. Average
2St bushels. We looked upon this as being
contrary to equity and justice, aud resolved 70
enter an action against the company for dam
ages for the 1895 bushels 81 alI that We could