The Labor enquirer., 1885-04-18
The Weekly Report of the Secretary
Coal MINERS HFADoUIRrERs OF
COLORADO. New MEXICO. WYo-
MING AND UTAH.

Coal MINERS HEADQUARTERS OF
COLORADO, New MEXICO, WYo-
MING AND UTAH.
The status of affairs has not changed
any for the better during the past week
Some mines within the state have not
done any work this month. Wyoming
reports working oaly about two days a
week. Kansas aud New Mexico, but a
very little better. The colored men in.
troduced into the mines of Walsenburg
are leaving again. They complain of
having been shamefrilly leo astray by
the agents of the Colorado Coal and Iron
company. The eomEany hired them as
teamsters at $2.25 pei day, but knowing
their abject condition. and having
brought them out from Kansas, dealt
and bartered them a, so many cattle.
This is an outrage of bhe grossest kind,
and should meet with The strongest
censure OF the public. Having been
brought here under verbal contract to
labor In the open air, and having broken
up their homes upon this understanding
it Is too bad that the company cannot be
compelled to foot the damages. They
are leaving and VIII endeavor to 60
back to their former homer. s3z 2
From the Western Watchman, pub
lishedin Humboldt county, California,
quote the following: s.,
Agents are canvassinq the Pacific
coast to secure Chinese to take the place
of the striking Knights of Labor at
Carbon, Wyoming, coal mines"
This goes to show how things are going
on, and is clear evidence that the COM
pany is not keeping faith with us, I
wrote Beckwith, Quinn & Co. upon this
matter but have received no reply. We
have no Striking" Knights, and hence
they cannot be brought in upon that
\ score. They are all peacefully at work,
and both parties have, some time since,
subscribed to the principles of arbitra-
ton in the adjustment of disputes The
company evidently means to provoke
trouble in case they pursue this. course.
ard have as their sole object the "clean-
ing out" of our brethren.
l have over and over again given
warning to the company, and with them
the matter rests.
The convention to be held on the
twentiy-eighth in this city, will take the
situation into serious consideration, and
will utter the sentiment of the laboring
classes upon the "Chinese question" in no
uncertain Tone"
From New Mexico comes a report
that one of our Italian brethren, was
killed at the Blossbu-g mine under cir
cumstances that shows that the COM
pany is guilty of serious crime. The
young man was employed as driver and
had worked but a few hours of his shift
when he met with his death. At the
coroner's inquest the jury agreed upon
the following verdict: ."That Guvannl
Ruatti's death was caused through the
neglect of the company, in not furnishing
door-tender, which the driver had
asked for"
1t appears that he was on his way out
with loaded trip, and had occasion to
jump off to open door when the cars
were in motion, but on remountlng he
fell under the cars and was killed.
This is but another instance that goes
to show how human lives are trif1ed
with, IN order to save probably 81 day
TO a rich company. Human avaricious-
ness sweeping men into eternity The
blood of this unfortunate brother will
rest upon the SOU of the inhuman
t wretch that refused to provide for his
safety
During the past week had occasion
to visit Erie, and am happy to say that
the organization is in a healthy condi'
ton. The mines are doing but very
little, but the brethren seemingly have
made up their minds to make the best Of
the situation. Men are advised to steer
clear of the entire state, by reason ofthe
fact that there is no work to be had
Would have been glad 10 report differ
emily, but with several hundred men
roaming the country in search of en-
ployment, it would be cruel to induce
men to come here and participate In
trouble. know of no place at present
where men could better their positions
by changing Brethren finding me un'
able TO meet with their wishes in this
respect, will understand that those are
the reasons why.
In sympathy with all l am truly yours
joan L. LEWIS.