Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-08-29
THE RosLYN COAL MINES.


striking operatives. This obnoxious
colony numbers one hundred, and
as they were collected in Indiana
and are mostly republicans, it was
denounced as democratic dodge to
! influence the election.
The interview was held last Sat
urday, and rs 10 violence has been
reported since then, the warlike at
titude described by the reporter may
have abatcd. His approch
was arrested with a challenge
to halt proceeding from a deter
mined looking sentinel who carried
a Winchester rifle and two revOlvers
i'm his cartridge belt. Other men
similarly armed formed Gordon
around the camp. These guards
paced their beat behind a barricade
Of logs Within this line II number
Of frame houses have been erected.
A substantial barbed wire fence sur
rounded these buildings. The
negroes were at work completing
the camp defcnses and clearing the
entries to the mine.
Being admitted within the de
fenses, the journalist found himself
i'm the presence Of Col. d. ID. An
thony, the commander Of the armed
force, r. NJ. Thomas, his lieutenant,
and Mr.. Worthington, the chief
operator. The reporters first in
quiry was: "Why were the white
men at work in this mine discharged?
We will give the colloquy that
ensucd.
81 don't know that they were
discharged. They were told the
mine had changed hands, and
naturally they quit work till they |
could find out who was to pay |
them"
"Why were these negroes brought |
from the East when it was known |
that large number of white men
were here idle?"
"I don't know anything about
that. The arrangement was made
by which | was to operate the mine.
| chose to bring the negroes and IL
Is my own affair. They were will
ing to accept my offer and they are
here. Ipay the men and have con-
tracted to dig the coal for u certain
rate to be paid me by the company"
"What rate do you pay the ne
groes?"
"I have arranged u rate but will
not state what 1t Is, whether by the
ton, bushel, or 10y the day"
as Ii less than Sl.25 paid mt
mines One and Two"
"Nes, II is less; and | venture to
'ay that the negroes will net more
money at the end of the year than
he miners at One and Two do by
heir present mode of work"
OF course you will need more men
Is the mine Is developcd?"
Certainly"
"Will you employ white men or
will you bring negroes ?"
"lt any white man wants to
work and will work over hours he
viii be given work"
The apparently contradictory !
tatement of the mine operator that
hese imported workmen are to be
'aid Il lower rate of wages and will
ct earn more than the white,t
miners is explained in this way.
There Is no fixed hours of work -
aid Mr., Worthiugton. "Any one of !
hem can work eight, ten or twelve
ours, understand at mines No.
and when man earns "a certain !
mount ho must stop. There is no :
lle like that here" ;
II is plain the white miner, rs Il \
lcans OF self protection limited the \
ouN of work. 4 man who could \
arm subsistence by ten hours Z
.hor was required 10 cease. EN-
eriencc has shown the tendency Of
10 grind the face of the
nor II u force ot workmcn are
illng to work all day and into the u
.ght 10 make good wages, their IA
,rnings will be compared with the ''
ages paid elsewhere, and then y
,,lcd down 80 as 10 correspond. N
he result of this Is that long hours al
u necessary 10 u living, aud men h
come slaves 90 rmoreless capital. -
This Mr. Worthiugtou, as pre- !,
nted to the understanding 10y his y,
IL with the press rcporter, is de, ~
'tcd In the graphic picture 10y the -, ~,
at shelley; m
'rucl ne scymed, and valm and strong. bl
Ike ouc who dovs, NOT sulicrs wplpg. Il.
he has To deal with human hearts, or
{ his treatment is as harsh as II On
p insisting power was coal ia the of
wells ot the earth. Heis operating y"
new owners; the men want to m
ow what terms they can make m,
IA their new employers and Insist ca
the rules they have adopted Tor -
ir own defense. They ane sum- I'M