The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-08


FIRE" ard woman was seen upon the hill waving
her hapds frsnttcally. A rush was made by the few
neasthe malls had caught IRE and that nothing but
tran up 20 the mill prevented the engineers COT
flames. A fence was pulled down TO prevent the
fire spreading and after the edges had been beaten
| down with hr branches and few buckets Of water
| emptieu on II ali danger was past.
AN ACCIDENT AGAIN.
Somebody threw lighted cigar stump, and the
wind fanned IT, There was no more excitement ieT
the day; but TINS evening the miners are holding
meeting to dc honor to the arrival Of the PRESIDENT
write they are holding forth their hall and their
Stamping and hurrahing reach me on the stiffness
oil the night. Whether this will lead to any sete-
ment is a question or great Importance 10 Suffer
Creek just now, though not OF such vital Importance
Blu Nyes Of The association. Everybody is hoping
that all strife will be buried la the two graves; put
planted rSeT IN ere SOIL and Is waiered
! with hate and whiskey.
| SUFFER- CREEK, CAL, July 80 1871.
During the two days now past nothing has occur
red to break the quiet Of the situation. Twelve ex-
ira hands have been taken on at the Amador Aine'
and the attention OF miners and mine owners Is
turned for the nonce to the great American safety
| valve-politics. The democratic primaries were
held last night and sign OF the times Is that poll
tics has large share In the shaping of events out
here and very certain that the State election In
| this county VIII turn the labor question, viewed
| from q particularly personal standpoint Taking
advantage OF the lull in the strike excitement was
enabled reach the prominent parties OF both sides
aud learn from them their view OF the turn OF events
| The first person interviewed was Luke Byme,
| President Of the Miners League, and miner him.
self. He was sitting In front OF the Suffer Hotel
yesterday morning smoking calumet OF peace when
l approached him. He received me cordially and
rose greet me with easy grace. He is q tall,
wellkuit man, six feet high, with clear, dark gray
eye and o quick, perceptve glance. He wears Q
mustacne and goatee OF a sandy color with good
forehead and an honest expression Of face. Having
related the object OF my visit he requested me to
come up stairs, where we could talk the matter
quietly over, promising to give all the Information
in his power. On being comfortably seated asked
him number Of questions regarding affairs here,
all OF which he answered readily. In reply to the
/, first query he said
The Miners League has been In existence about
one year. All the fight with the mine owners has
been done through IL. 1t was called into existence
| because OF knowing that movement was on
! foot to pull down wages.
REPoRTER-What were the wages being paid at
| that time?
| BYRNE-From q dollar and seven bits Isl S71s) to
So Is per day-that is, taking all han 70 engaged in
| mining quartz or milling 1t.
REPORTER What were the indications you refer
to which convinced you Of an intention to lower
wagesS
BYRNE-Wages were reduced here and there on
individuals For instance, man receiving 81 80
would be reduced to So 25 A strike then got to be
talked about, and the mine owners blew about it
and regularly dared us into It,
REPoRTER-when was this disposition first
evlnced by the mine 0wnersf
BYRNE-About four months ago. wish to ex-
plain that they did not reduce all at once. It was
movement rather in detail than In classes or grades
In one mine they would cut down two or three
bucket filters five or ten cents day; in another the
mill men would be dropped the same amount; in Q
third the miners.
REPoRrER-was it, then, on the ground Of what
had already been reduced that you struck
BYRNE-NOt altogether. They threatened and
spoke Of still further reduction.
REPORrER-Was the strike, then, for resumption
OF the old standard or for an advanceP
BYRNE-That requires On explanation, which viii
snow YOU that this strike is OF the most disin-
terested record on the part OF great number OF
the hands engaged. Our demand was that no man
working under ground should do 1t for less than
50 90 day. and that we were willing, to gain this
point that So should be the regular rate for first
class miners. We asked also that no man employed
at the mine, above or below, should work for less
than 50 a day. BY this you will that all of us
first class miners asked no advance, but struck
for the sake OF the second class and for the men
on top.
REPoRTER-How do you divide the miners into
two classes'
BYRNE-AccordinG to SKILL Wages follow skill,
and we called all men getting from SO up 10 SO Is
first class hands, Ali others working for less under
ground were called second class. We struck that
none OF THESE should be paid less than So SO.
REPoRTER-I should Ike to learn further your
reasons for this.
BYRNE-we think that no man should be asked TO
UO below taking Z
Provisions dearer here now than ten years ago
and wages less Men wno work at So rs DAY and
less cannot support their families on ii.
REPoRrER-But you agreed to let the men on top
work for 81 day; does not the same rule apply 70
themf
BYRNE-They were all unskilled hands, and
mostly new 10 the business. We could not ask the
mine owners to pay them anything more than their
worth; and, again, being new settlers, they did not
have, as general thing, families TO feed and clohe.
Still we knew that 81 day was little enough Tor
them.
RaPoRTEa-How did the proposed change affect
the pay list OF the niue owners
BYRHE-lt made very little difference to them,
only q few dollars week-seven, believe, IN the
REPoRTER-wnen did the strike commencep
BYRSE-On the LIST OF June we ordered all hands
to stop work until settlement should be arrived at.
great many men dlsreQarded the order aud
KEPoRTER-what did You dor
together, went in body to the different mines and
wherever there were men at work
WE HOISTED THEN OUT.
REPoRTER-At which mines did you carry out this
hosting programmed
BYRSE-At all the large ones. The Amador mIne
at suffer Creek here: the Keystone at Amador CITY,
and the Oneida, over the hills towards Jackson.
REPORTER-Was there any violence used tnerep
BYRNE-None Whatever. Our enemies have not
dared TO accuse US Of this. We just went 10 the
shafts sent down word to the men 10 come I'D and
told the engineer to hoist ana the thing was done.
REPoRTER-Were any other measures takenY
BYRSE-The oneida mine was found to have its
pumps stopped aud the mine filing with water, and
that was laid at The door of the League.
REPORTER How many men were employed IN the
mines at the time OF the striker
BYRNE-AbOut Two hundred and nifty, eighty each
at the Amador and Oneida and perhaps ninety at
the Keystone
REPoRrER-How many does your organization
NUMBER
BYRYE-Five hundred There a great many
outside the mines, sorekeepers AMI Others who be-
long TO u.s.
REPoRTER-When were the troops sent fors
BYRNE-They wanted them from the commence
ment and without asking whether The civil mower