Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-08-15
STRIKE OF THE RICHMOND MINERS.
From the Richmond Democrat, August 6

- ho"h tAS
We regret to say that the strike of the
| Richmond coal miners continues and
no coal is being taken out of any of the
mines. A hand-bill was gotten OF and
| circulated Saturday requesting the
miners to meet the operators at mine
No. 6, at 10 a. m. For some reason the
miners did not turn Out in any large
number and the matter stands just
| where it did before.
We have made inquiries of the oper-
ators and miners with a view of giving
the exact state Of affairs, and the matter
stands as follows from the operators
standpoint:
AT the time of the strike here and
| across the river the Richmond opera
tors awaited a settlement at Lexington,
they being willing to make the same
terms as should be made there. When
terms were made and work resumed at
Lexington the Richmond operators Of
fered the men here the same terms.
Some time before the strike the Rich
mond operators had better freight rates
than the operators of the Lexington
mines and paid One-half cen more for
mining coal. But now the freight adj
vantages of the operators are the same,
hence the operators here, in order to
compete with Lexington operators,
must get coal mined at Lexington
prices. The operators say that, taken
month in and month out, there is not
more than half a cent profit to them OH
the bushel of coal, therefore it would
be foolish for them to work the mines
for nothing, as they must do if they pay
m half cent more than is paid by
Lexington and other operators who
compete with Richmond in the various
markets. If Richmond operators are
gwen the opportunity to compete with
any and all mine operators i'll the differ
ent markets, they a give their men
more work throughout the year. Here
tofOre they have been handicapped by |
reason of their paying higher prices for
mining coal. Many OF the miners are
willing to accept the terms offered by
the operators and 60 to work. In fact,
a Lexington operator came yer last
week and secured a number of miners
to 60 there to work, But the committee
appointed by the miners organization
decline to permit the men to go to work
for less than four cents per bushel.
The above is a fair statement as
gained from a talk with the operators.
On the side of the miners WI inter-
viewed John Mackin, II of the COM
mittee, and other older miners, whose
statements in effect were as follows:
There are not more than four months
the year that the miners put in
anything neal full time. The remain
der of the year they do not get in half
time. To be more explicit, the private
books of some OF the miners who have
worked here for years, show that for
five months in the year they have aver
aged nineteen days work each month,
and for the remaining seven months
the average is six days work each
month. In a word, the best and stead
lest miners have not averaged over $500
metz in earnings each year, while a
majority of them earn much less.
For these reasons, say the miners,
they must receive better prices in order
to pull through the year without coming
out in debt. In the Lexington mines
the miners get work the year round,
and get in very neal if moi quite full
time during eight months. The miners
at Huntsville, which coal is largely |
marketed in Kansas City, are paid
more per ton than The Richmond miners |
are offered, and yet work a four foot
vein against a two foot vein in the Rich
mond mines The Richmond miners
would like to 60 to work, but not at a
price tnat would bring them out in
debt at the end of the year. Make the
working time the same as that of Lex
ington and there is little doubt but what
the Richmond miners would go to work
with a will.
The above is a fair statement of our
interview with the miners.
Without expressing an opinion on the
merits of the case ,all will agree that the
strike is seriously affecting the business
interests of Richmond, and every bust
ness man can but hope that the opera
tors and miners will come to terms
before the first of September. If we
knew how to pour oil on the troubled
waters we would not be slow about
performing the work. But with the
operators declaring that they can not
run the mines for nothing and the
miners saying that they can not work
for the price offered, were are at a loss
to n a solution of the troublesome
problem.
After several conversations with the
Richmond mine operators we regret to
stale hat they will not mine a ton of
coal until they can do so at prices paid
by other operators. We make this
statement because It is a matter at great
Importance to the citizens of Richmond.
Regrets are useless, and we drop the
subject for the present.