The Labor enquirer., 1884-08-30
prcyiaians ssnt p thS Starving Tsmi-
liss- Kind Irisndain Denver
and Pueblo.

John Brown of Louisville, as temporary
chairman, and the balance ofthe fore
noon was consumed in examining cre-
dentials and other preliminary work.
Upon re assembling at 1:3O p m, Mr..
Henry Hook was chosen permanent
chairman and Mr.. Alexander Mcdonald
was elected secretary.
The afternoon session was enthusiastic
and several able speeches were made by
the delegates The nameschosen for the
association was, "The Coal Miners Pro-
tective Association of Colorado" and its
objects declared to be-: 3
First--To secure for the coal miners a
just remuneration for their labor.
Second-To settle trade disputes by
arbitration or other conciliatory means
when possible.
Third To secure legislation to carry
out and promote the above objects.
"a committee was appointed to wait on
Superintendent Cameron, of the Colo
RADIO Coal and Iron company, with a
view of settling amicably the existing
difficulty between that company and the
miners, if possible; but the committee
reported that after long conference
with the gentleman named it was i'm
| possible to do anything in that way at
present, as the company is determined
to enforce the reduction.
The convention adjourned until a.
m. to-day. and next weeks ENQUIRER
will contain full report Of the proceed
ings.
From what>information we can CLEAN
of residents and miners from the locality
Of Coal Creek, there is no doubt that
the Colorado Coal 4 Iron company has
pursued a tyrannical and oppressive
course toward their employees. The
company has repeatedly shipped in
gangs of Italians at the rate of SIS per
head, whom they have systematically
used as screws to squeeze practical miners
down to the lowest living wage. Not
that the company has any more liking
for Italian laborers than for others, as is
evinced by the present destitution of
this class, many of them being in a
starving condition. No, the Italian is
used as a means of forcing the practical
miner down and obllging him to work
for a bare subsistence, when the ignobIe
tools are discharged and allowed to shift
for themselves, or are shipped9o another
district to repeat the programme.
4 On the twenty-fourth of last June the
Canon City Coal company notified their
employees of reduction of Is cents per
ton. to take effect on the first Of July
This the men objected to, as they thought
the pay was quite low enough, and
rather than submit they quit work and
have continued idle. 4
Tie Colorado Coal & Iron company
about two weeks since notified the
4 miners of Coal Creek that d reduction
would take place on the tenth of October
ofl0 per cent for mining coal this the
1 miners refused to acquiesee in and are
4 now out on strike.
i There are now about 900 miners Out
fof work in the region of Coal Greek
who are vigorously organizing for pro.
lection against the grinding monopolie,
that are seeking to make them slaves
They state that they are robbed by the
company, who by the way appear to be
supreme rulers in that part of the state,
/ numerically which charges them the
most extortionate prices for everything
they buy; the one item of powder alone,
costing them 50 to lay down at the
mines they charge the miners $4 and
$3.50 for. Each miner is taxed 81 per
month for medical attendance in case of
sickness, with the option of charging to
any extent they please, to which in
most cases they add the cost Of medicine.
# child Of miner is visited in sick
ness by the company the parent is
charged 81 per visit and thus, and by
various other means the miners are
ground down SO that the average wage
of $l75 per day; is barely sufficient to
keep the wolf from the door, the COM
pany appearing to work on the principle
that low diet will force the men to be
submissive.
The miners say they cannot, and will
not. accept the reduction, as there is no