The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-03-08
TIE REEF ROW.
Col. Alien, of the Stormont, Talks
to a Herald" Reporter
And Gives a Plain and Candid
Statement

VI Tile CJOIluOuS COMPANY A1ACG
at Silver Reef, arrived in this city
> on Saturday evening last, and regis
tered at the Walker House. Think
ing that talk with this gentleman
news Of whose Punishment from
! the Reef, by the Miners Union, was
published in these columns week
ago-might develop some items of
interest to the public at large, a
HERALD reporter yesterday sought
and obtained an interview, the sub
stance of which is detailed below.
| To the inquiry, as to whether the re-
port of his exile from the Reef was
true as published in the papers here,
Col. Allen stated that it was, sub
stantially.
/ Reporter-Had you no previous
Iintimation that the miners would
take this action in your case?
! Col. Allen-None whatever In
Announcing reduction in the rate
of wages, from 81 to $3.50 per day,
| was simply carrying out the COM
pany's orders as transmitted TO me
from New York; and it is almost
lsuperfluous to add that this course
was not determined upon by the
company, in the first place, without
a due necessity therefor being evil
dent. Personally, 1 have had no
trouble with any of the members OF
the Miners Union; nor was aware,
prior to the day upon which l was
ordered to leave the camp, that any
| ill-feeling was entertained toward
me, either by the miners individu-
ally or as an organization. You
may Judge, then, of my surprise,
when suddenly informed by the
President of the Miners Union that
! five minutes would be allowed me-
in which to leave town.
R.-When, where, and In what
manner was this invitation extended
to you?
Alt was about 2 o'clock on the
afternoon of Sunday, the goth
ult., and the place at which
it occurred was the company'S
office, down on the reef. A
procession of probably $50 miners
marched to the Office and halted
there, while President Lewis and
two or three others entered my
room. Acting as spokesman for the
deputatiOn, Mr.. Lewis stepped for
ward and said he had painful duty |
to perform that meeting Of the |
Miners Union had just been held, |
and it was then and there deter
mined to give me five minutes IN
which to leave the camp. l asked |
the cause of this action. He said, !
you have had thirty days in which |
to consider this matter. and we see
YOU don't intend to resume work, |
but are determined to Starve us into
submission to your demands" | re-
monstrated with the deputatlOn;
told them | was deserving of better
treatment at their hands; that had
at all times acted fairly and Squarely
by the miners, and that this action,
if persisted in, would not only work
an injury to their cause, but would
also be a gross outrage upon my
rights. Mr.. Lewis said he regretted
that such was the case, but there
was no help for it. l demanded that
the five minutes time be extended
to three hours, 50 as to give me a
chance to arrange personal affairs.
He answered that he would not dare
to go outside to the miners and
make such a request. | asked in
what way it was proposed should
leave town, and if it were intended
to do me any personal violence. As
to the former matter, l was told L
could ride my horse if l chose; but
as to my personal safety, the strong
est assurances were given. l then
had my horse saddled, and immedi-
ately rode away, being accompanied
eight or nine miles out Of town by
seven or eight mounted men, de-
tailed by the Union for that pur
pose.
R.-During the ride out did you
with any of your escort?
A.-Oh, yes; l talked quite freely
with them. Some of them professed
regret that things should have taken
the turn they had.
RIFF the miners entertained no
toward you personally,
why this outrage?
Al think l can account for 1t.
You see, General Ogden, Superin-
tendent of the Barbee and Walker,
had also given notice that that
works would shut down
on the 1St of the present month,
and remain closed down until such
time as the reduced rate of wages
should be accepted. | charged them
with having taken this step for the
purpose of preventing this action of
the Barbee and Walker Company.
The reply was, If he does close
down, we shall serve him the same
as we are now serving you, and he
probably will not fare as well as you
are doing" The fact that the mine
was not closed down on the LIST inst.
is evidence to me that the manage
ment considers it good policy to
keep quietly at work for the present,
or until such time as ample security
to life and property is afforded IN
the district.
R.-Is there any truth in the state
ment that the Stormont, Barbee and
Walker md Christy Companies
agreed to act in concert, by closing
down their works, for the purpose OF
a reduction in the miners
wages?
A,-No; that statement is incor-
rect; at least, so far as the StormOnt
Company is concerned l am glad
YOU asked the question, for the
reason that it affords me an Oppor-
tunity to correct the erroneous
(publiShed) statement to the effect
that such an agreement had been
made by the Stormont and Christy
Companies, and that Captain Lub-
book subsequently backed out of
his contract.
R.-Do you expect to shortly re-
turn to the Reef?
A.-WelI, expect to return, but
Just when l am at present unable TO
state.
R.-Then you do not think your
company will resume work at the
81 per day standard
A.-NO; of that am certain.
R-But, if your ore-bodies hold
out in sinking, and am informed
they do, why seek to reduce the
wages of miners?
N.-The reason is obvious, if you
will give the matter moments
consideration. The mines have
been worked steadily for three
years, and in the Buckeye, our best
producing property, the ore from
the second level near the water line
up has been extracted. COncedlng