The Labor enquirer., 1884-12-06
BOARD,
The Weekly Report Of the Secretary,
Coal MINERS HEADQUARTERS OF
COLORADO, NEW MEXICO, WYo-
MING AND UTAH.


After nv return from the south the
coneiliation board resumed deliberations,
and on Friday ths twerlty eighth ultimo
decided upon ali advancein wages OF
12I cents per ion fer the Franceville
mines IN Ell Paso county, and the sched-
ule of wages agreed upon for under
ground day hand, in groups l and 2 is
also made applicable to this same mine.
This is atemporary arrangement to serve
only until price, can he agreed upon for
the entire product of Che mine. The
present arrangement provides that the
miner gets pay only for the screened
coal, and this shows payment only for
about go per cent of the product.
An effort is NOW being made by which
! the miner will get paid for all coal as it
comes out of the mine. The only qnes-
ton left undecided is the amount to be
paid per ton under the proposed new ar
rangements There is great credit due
to this company for the spirit of fairness
manifested by them in dealing with all
questions, and it is to be hoped that this
feeling will always be nurtured and con-
tinue to prevail Thisis the spirit in
which all labor problems should be dis.
cussed and solved.
The screen question in groups / and 2
has occupied the time Of the board for
several sessions. The board decided a
few weeks ago upon screen of certain
dimensions that should be uniformly
adopted, but it in claimed that in some
instances tits impraetieable to effect the
change; for few months, and hence the
board is called upon to decide upon GER
tain conditions thatin the meantime will
be an equivalent to the miners. The
principle established, and that will be
applied in this elise, will be that ofsecur-
ing for the men ut each and every mine
equal pay for equal labor. Where it can
be shown that one operator pays for 75
per cent of the entire product and an
other rays only for 65 or 70 per cent of
the product, it will be seen that the
formeris Disseminated against, and that
there is an injustice placticed upon the
employees of the latter. To equalize
those conditions to the end that neither
operator nor miner shall have any advan-
tage over the other is what the board
aims to bring about 80 get at figures
showing the relative percentage of slack
and nut at the several mines in some
thing that we have experienced greak
difficulty in obtaining, hence the delfy
in the final settlement OF this matter.
And whatever brings Shis about, it Mil
have to be done fair and prober wh9ne it
will be done, The movement of fstab-
hshing check -weighmen has eaufed a
little trouble in the north the pas4week,
but matters we're soon compromised. At
the Garfield mine the operators placed
objection to the person chosen by the
men, and this caused twp days strike.
On Wednesday morning a special session
of the conciliation board considered the
grounds of objection, and it was ulti-
mateiy resolved "That it is the sense of
the board that Thomas G. Williams be
allowed to go on as check weighman at
removal by decision Of the Subordinate or
executive board, and that an order be
issued to resume operations upon this
understanding.
Iswould avail myself of this chance to
counsel all concerned not to allow per-
sonal animosities to warp their Judge
ment, but to exercise prudence and COM
mon sense in all movements and meSs-
ures, ~ zsi. -
Let ststrikes" boys become dead letter,
and by no means abuse; the principle of CON
ciliation and arbitration established. Aeon
servatiye policy will be foand the best rfnder
all circumstances. Extreme radlcallSm lWlll
wreck every good cause, and trouble Twill
always follow. -, :.
Down south affairs art still unsettled, put
an effort Is about to be made and negotlatl9ns
are going on with view Of settlement. IRe
Union Pacific still holds out, against every
arrangement, but unless they come to- some
reasonable grounds very shortly tney VIII
find themselves baffied. An application was
made during the past week for an interview
with r. S. Galloway, Yice-president OF the
company, but that gentleman replied that ne
had no Jurisdiction over the coal department.
aud the application of the board was trans
ferred to d. o. Clark, from whom we have
not had any word. -
A council is now III session at Pueblo be-
tween the miners representatives and south
ern delegates, and the best of feeling pre-
vailsT If the companies are disposed to effect
a fair settlement an opportunity will be ofer-
ed them and the troubles in the south Will be
adjusted, A conspiracy exists between these
large companies and certain parties, ana LII
fuence is brought to bear upons retail and
and wholesale provision stores against tne
miners. When this troiible comes to close
it will be the duty of every working man 10
remember who have oeen their foes and
friends. 1t is to be hoped that no friend OF
labor shall receive the ''eold shoulder" and
those that have stood by the men through
thick and thin, and sunk all their capital to
aid in feeding hungry mouths, should never
be forgotten. Those that have not sent In
the returns will please do so at once in order
that the result can be made known in my
next report. At the tiIue Of writing a coun-
Gil is in session at Pueblo.
JOHN L. LEWIS, Executive Secretary.
PUEBLO Dec. 4, 1884