The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-06-13
CORRESPONDENTS.
I'VE % not hold ourselves responsible for any opno
expressed BY our Correspondents.
MINERS TROUBLES IN BRAIDwOoD-RECEr
TON OF JOHN sINEY.

MINERS TROUBLES IN BRAIDwOoD-RECEP-
TIoN OF JOHN sINEY.
BRAIDwoOD, H., June 8, 1874
To the Editor u the WoRkINGNANs ADVOCATE
As the time approaches for the renewal
Of the contracts between the miners of this
locality and the several coR companies,
We were apprehensive that some trouble
would ensue, and were in measure pre-
pared to accept partial reduction i'll the
price Of digging coal. but we were not pre-
pared for the proposition which was sub
United to US by the coal companies through
their understrappers. A few days before
the time specified in the contracts expired,
the following notice was posted in a con-
spicuons place on all the pit-heads in this
locality
To the, Miners Of the Chicago, Wilmington d
VamiiliOn Coal Company. For the year com
mencing June LIST, 1874, this company has
decided to ask the miners in their employ for
small reduction In the price Of mining and
puSllllk. DclOW Will DC lounh a copy Vi Tue
contract they will be expected to sign and
work under from June LIST, 1874, until June
lst, 1875. 1t is expected the miners will sig
nifty their acceptance Of these rates by coming
to the office and signing contracts for the
coming year, or before the LIST of June, or
the mines will be closed on that day.
Such is the notice in their own words.
THE NEW CONTRACT
for 1874 and 1873 differs from the old as
regards prices to be paid only. In all other
respects it is the same Therefore your
correspondent will not ask it to be pub
lished but he will point out to your
readers the real amount Of the reduction.
The company wants the men to allow them
TO reduce the price of mining coal fifteen
cents per ton. If this we're all, there can
be little doubt but what the men would
have accepted their proposition. But In
addition to this they want to reduce the
price of pushing" nineteen cents and in
some instances after we get over 100 yards,
they will give US the munifcent sum Of
five cents for every 100 yards over and
above the 100 yards, as above mentioned.
Under the old contract we received nothing
for the first fifty yards, and four cents for
each succeeding fifty yards. The offer in
the new contract is equivalent to reduc-
ton OF twenty cents on every 900
yards Of pushing. At the old price men
could not make $l.5O per day, and now
they ask further reduction. The fact Is,
they want the men to work for nothing,
and to get permission to do so, you must
sign contract to do it for one year or not
at all.
MASS MEETING.
On these facts having been made known,
the officers of the district deemed it advis-
able to call mass meeting Of the American
Lodges, and have the men give expression
to their views on the subject. The Secre-
tary of the District was authorized to post
up notices, calling the meeting for Thurs
day evening, which he did. Some parties,
interested of course, tried to destroy the
effect ofthe bills, and tore one ortwo Of them
down in less than an hour after they were
posted up. But when the hour Of meeting
came, and the men commenced to gather,
it was soon seep that the defacing of the
bills had had no effect, for long before the
meeting was organized it became evident
that the school-house would be too small,
and the meeting had to be hen in the open
air.
The meeting was called to order by the