The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-17
SERIOUS STRIKE.
The Coal Miners Want an Advance
Talks With Bank owners and Miners.

Talks With Bank owners ana Miners.
For some time past trouble has been
brewing between miners 10 certain banks
in and around this city and the lessees OF
proprietors Of them, and Wednesday night
the strike assumed q tangible shape, when
the men employed by Mckinley and Nc.
Cormick, at Manchester, and those Of
Kasley, Brooks & Co., came out and re.
fused TO 20 10 work again at old rates.
A representative OF this paper hearing
OF the trouble In the Manchester bank Of
Mckinley and Mccormick, went out yes.
terday afternoon, and on Seventeenth
street met quite q number Of miners, who
were discussing the matter among them.
selves. They very readily answered the
questions we asked them In reference to
their troubles, and gave the following
statement; ave work by the wagon load,
that Is, we receive so much u wagon
holding so many bushels Of coal, The
wagons In the mines We work in IRE said
by the proprietors 10 hold twenty.eight
bushels each, but they really hold twenty
nine and one.hali, and some OF them thir-
ty.one and one-hali bushels Of clean coal.
A man must be good miner 10 get out
more than iour Of these day, and many
get out less than that, and lately they have
put 80 many men to work in the
banks that the average Is now seven
wagons o day 10 two men. Then taking In
to consideration our expenses&C, we do not
make over 81 % per day and many OF US
only from 10 to 90 cents. We pay for our
powder, lamps, oil, picks and pick sharp
ening, and other triles that eat into a
weeks wages very considerably. Then
also there Is waste OF about two cars a
day in undermining, (thisis small estimate
Of the waste, said another one Of the mem
and then the soapstone is q great trouble
to u.s. and day in week is spent in taxi
ing It out"
"But how are you puid?" was our ques'
ton.
"Well they bargain with US for so much
wagon and then enlarge tho wagons and
you see how this works"
GLOW do you propose remedying the
trouble2" We asked.
"What we want Is that the wagons be
measured and branded, and then pay US
two cents a bushel for our work"
do you hope to succeed in your de-
mandsW
"If action is general on the part OF the
miners we anticipate no trouble in the
matter. At this season OF the year the
bosses know what coal Is, and there will
be no difficulty about an advance, and an
explicit understanding about the future"
A great deal OF desultOry conversation
took place on the subject OF mining,
but all tended to the same effect as the
above. The men, with whom we were
talking, said they were from the banks Of
Kasley, Brooks ( Co., and Mckinley &
Mccormick. They said further, that q
meeting was to be held last night for furth.
er action in this matter. A committee
had waited on Mr.. Mckinley to state their
grievances and also their demands, to
which Mr.. Mckinley replied that he could
not comply under the present circum-
stances, land here we are"
Mr.. P. L. Kimberly, proprietor Of the
Manchester Coal and Coke Works, was
found near Manchester and being aware
OF the object Of our visit, invited US into
his house to "show US his bOoks.,' "If he
was to be written up he wanted this com.
munity TO see just how he stood and how
he paid his diggers. Here Is the average
Of Martin OConnel for the last thirteen
months; you will see that be hasaveraged
81 90 per day in that time, and here is
Jimmy Milroy's for the same time 81 44I
per day. Neil Connolly has been sick
some, yet he averaged 81 90 per day for
the same time" Many other names were
shown US, and nearly all were making
similar wages. "Another thing l want
you to understand" said Mr.. Kimberly,
SIS this: pay cash; l keep no three.cent
grocery and dribble out the pay to my
men in that way; they get their money
straight. 1pay for everything taken out
OF the bank, except slate and copper
stone.-, The slack l utilize as well
as the clear coal; l sell il
to the Tack Factory, Reyman's brewery,
the Hinge Factory, Oil Refinery, Mcclure
House, and other places not requiring so
much, and the balance of it make coke
OF. | also have an extensive clean coal
trade, such as the Water Works, Semi.
nary, POstolliCe, &c. So you see have
10 keep a large number Of diggers, and
must pay fair wages to retain them, as
they are valuable TO me according to their
skill and knowledge Of the business"
He then asked us TO go through his bank
near by, and as the trip was novel one
We went. Procuring several lamps, we
mounted coal wagon and were soon far
into the "bowels OF the EARTH" ducking
our heads TO keep from coming in contact
with the low roof from time 10 time. We
finally reached the further side OF the
bank, where We got out and MIR.
X. showed US his method OF mining coal.
The precautions against the fall OF soap.
stone, the admirable means Of ventilation,
the pure air, the clean appearance Of ev.
erything in the passage.ways, all attracted
our attention and indicated that these
banks were properly managed.
The coal is not all taken out as is done
in many banks, but columns OF it about
six feet in width are left as supports OF
the roof, and this renders the bank much
more safe, and We were told in this con.
nection that no one had ever been killed
in the bank yet. Alter the examination
OF the coal and the manner OF getting it
out, we were rapidly driven 10 the surface
"Mr. Kimberly" we asked as we turn.
ed to leave, what will you do if your
men striker" 81 refuse to answer that
question; We are getting along all right,
l am told they will come to see me to.
night l do not know what for, but II
there is anything serious l will tell you"
Seeing Mr.. Mckinley, whose men had
struck a day or two before, We asked him
as to the status.
"Well, all l know Is committee Of
miners waited on me, and asked an ad.
vance. They also asked that the wagons
be measured and branded, and two cents
a bushel for mining, This, at the present
price Of coal, cannot pay. cannot put
my hand into the public pocket and take
out money. II coal goes up am willing
to pay more, il mot, l Canuot."
Both Mr.. Mckinley and Mr.. Kimberly
spoke highly OF their men, and said II they
could afford it they would pay more.
We did not learn the proceedings of the
minpra' mating laak ni0hf nnr ,rh,t oon