Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-01-21
THE MINERS TROUBLE.
The EIna Coal Bank Strike-Several
of the Miners Interview Wed-HistOry
aTthe Dihieulty.

The Etna Coal Bank Strike-Several
of the Miners Interview ed-HistOry
oTthe Difficulty.
Yesterday several miners VINO worked in
the Etna coal bank called at this Office to
state the true facts of their discharge and a
history of Z eIr strike. The following was
cleaned from the conversation held with
the men:
1--WE have been working up to DeceT Der
81, 1882, for 2H cents per bushel, bank
measure. On January l, 1885, we were
notified by Manager Jones that the price of
digging would be reduced to pa cents,
This naturally created quite an excite
ment among the men, but as we were in
formed that the Laughlin and Bellaire
banks were paying that figure, after a
short consultation we decided to 60 to
work at the reduction, but when
Manager Jones
sent US q written agreement, which stated
that We were to work and be paid by the
Iushel, instead of bsnF measure, as hereto
fore, and further that 96 pounds would con-
stitute a bushel instead OF 50 pounds,
which is the standard all over the country.
TUUn the agreement being read To The men,
sgtuersl stampede took place, not one OF
them being willing 10 20 To work under any
such agreement. After they had quieted
down the matter Was COolly discussed, and
the men decided to wait on Manager Jones
and state their objections and what they
were willing to work for"
A committee was Immediately appointed,
and they repaired to the managers office
and
stated Their Case
in the following manner:
We, the miners at the Rtna mill coal
bank. do not think that the company have
done right by Us, as it has never heard OF
charging ninety-siX pounds for buShel OF
coal. We are willing and ready TO go to
work at the reduction, that is "a cents per
bushel, but bushel is to constitute eighty
pounds.
In the Pan Handle coal banks the men
receive 50 cents per buShel, and in the
river banks cents. Now, AS the price has
been reduced on us, we think it is nothing
more than Justice for the owners to allow
US the standard weight for coal, and not
Try and make us dig ninety-six pounds for
q buShel of coal"
No agreement could be reached between
the owners and miners, and the men de-
Cided TO 20 on a strike last Tuesday night.
Wednesday morning Manager Jones had
all Of their tools thrown out of the works
and notified the men that
They Were Discharged.
Thursday an advertisement appeared in
the leading papers OF this vicinity for forty
miners. This last blow was what hurt the
discharged men the most, as they want all
miners TO stay away from the works until
this matter can be agreeably adjusted:
The work men during the interview seemed
in very good spirits and expected to win
the fight in very few weeks:
How do you men get paid for the slack
dug?" asked the reporter.
I'VE Keep the slack in store; that is, we
save il in the bank, and when the company
send in for slack We fill the cars on: OF the
store.
what does the company do with the
slack" again interrupted the reporter.
oh. they use il at the blacksmith shops
and other places
How much do you receive for slack
Just the same as for clean coal, but
will tell you one thing, We wsuld rather
hardle
Clean Coal
than to have the trouble that is necessary
10 keep the slack and also keep it out o
our way or room. And further We do not
want TO be governed by the prices anC
manner of running banks in West Vir
ginia, but are perfectly willing to be gov
ernsd by the prices and manner OF run
ming banks in Ohio, that is by the BellaiIe
and Laughlin banks"
There the matter stands. The men think
they have been harshly delt with, and the
manufacturers think that the men are
stubborn and want to injure the works
At any rate the bank has no miners a.
present, there is no coal being got our, ant
the company are receiving coal by railroad
and are using every effort to replace the
men with new miners.