Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-21
THEMINETR0UBLES.
The Situation as Presented by the
Facts in the Case.
An Investigation by Representative OF
the National Labor Tribune of Pitts
burg-There is no "Snike."
The Peril to Texas Development, the Menace
to Peace and the ENCOURAGEMENT to Employ
Cheap Foreign Labor.

The Texas and Pacific coal company,
which has its headquarters in this city, is
still engaged in seeking Iaborers to oper-
| ate its mines near Strawn and Gordon in
Erath county. From 500 to 1000 miners
| are wanted, and the agents of the COM
pany are now travelling over the country
to secure them, having despaired of get
ting assistance from the coal fields of
Pennsylvania, to which they first ap-
piled. The
HISTORY OF THE CONTEST
between the company and the employees of
its predecessor, the johnson coal COM
| pany, has been given in short reports that
| have been printed in the daily papers from
time to time during the last three months,
but these have frequently been so colOred,
by partisanship as TO afford but little idea
of the true situation. Its gravity may be
| understood when it is stated that the
| question of the immediate development
| OF the rich and almost UNEMPLOYED
| coal fields of Texas is probably involved
in the issue of the present attempt of the
Texas and Pacific company to procure
miners, for should it decide to cease OPP
erationS the
ABANDON hENT Ot THE TEXAS FIELD
by the most promising enterprise of this
character that has ever been organized
will tend to greatly discourage future eff
forts of this nature.
The troubles of the company began i'm
mediately after it took posses
SION of its purchase, about
the Ist of last November.
Its vendor, the Johnson coal company,
had been paying scale of wages that re-
suited in its virtual bankruptcy, and
finally in strike by the miners because
of the n-payment of wages. This Oc-
Cured on the goth day of September.
When the new company took possession
in November the old employees were paid
out of the purchase money and an invi-
tation was extended through printed no.
tees for them to return to work They
decided not to accept the new scale of
prices and after a notification TO this effect
the company started agents to the East
TO procure the necessary labor. The
treasurer of the company Mr.. Edgar L.
Marston, went to Pittsburg, the central
point of the mining industry of Pennsyl-
Yania, and was rapidly organizing a
force of laborers when appeals and state
ments from the old employees were pub
lished conveying the impression that they
were on strike against the new COM
pany, which paralyzed his efforts among
the Unionists. In this dilemma
THE NATIONAL LABOR TRIBUNE
of Plttsburg, the leading labG publica-
ton of the East, and a journal of high
Tepute among all classes, was requested
to send one of its staff to Texas to inves-
tigate the situation at the company S ex-
pense. 1t agreed to do so and detailed
William Rennie for the task. Mr.. Rem
ME reached Fort Worth December 20.
Five days afterward he made a full re-
port to mis- journal, being
COMPLETE AND CANDID STATEMENT
of the facts relating to the controversy,
which is reprinted below
Editors National Labor Tribune:
Having visited the mines of the Texas and Pa
cifc coal company, stated would in your
editorial of the issue of December y, 1855, I re-
specially submit the following facts:
1 arrived at Fort Worth Tex, the morning
of the 20th and met Mr.. Edgar L. Marston,
treasurer OF the company and Messrs. Nc
Lauchlan and Clinton, committee representing
the miners who used to work for the Johnson
coal company. After some conversation with
AlF. MarSton, and making arrangements TO visit
the mines next day. spent most of the day in
company with the committee The representa-
tions made 10 me by the committee were the same
ne have anpeared in the Tribune over the sigma
lures of Mr.. McLauchlan and others; and after
my talk with them, felt that the case and con-
dition of the men represented by the committee
was an unusually hard one, if on personal ex-~
animation found the statements above referred
to were true.
During the day met nine young men who had
arrived from PittsbuTg week previous, who
were awaiting the arrival of large delegation of
miners from pennsylvania, which was expected,
but failed to come on account of having read the
circular distributed BY Mr. McLauchlan and
others, copy OF which was printed IN the
Tribune. l also met party OF three miners
from Mansfield, Pa, who were their way to
the mines for the purpose of finding steady EN-
ployment, and reporting to their friends east as
to the truthfulneSs OF the representations made
by the Texas ana Pacific coal company and those
dol xrfE ne com INIT loo Of mir
On Saturday morning, IN the company OF Mr..
McLauchlan, the nine young men just mentioned,
some Texas rangers and Mr.. Marston, took the
Texas and Pacific train for Strawn, town on the
line of said road about seventy-hye miles west OF
Fort Worth. After dining there the party we're
put fiat car and taken TO the mines over
switch about two miles and half long, while
was driven by the county road in a conveyance.
there met Col. R. d. Hunter, the president
of the Texas and Pacific coal company, and W.
w. Williams, the superintendent, who came
from i5treator, III. was told by the president
that everything was at my disposal for the pur-
pose of discovering the true condition of affairs
at the mines.
first heard the statement Of the president and
a number of other gentlemen connected with the
company. then attended meeting of the min
ers, assemblies their lodge, and learned from
the men at this meeting the following facts:
l. That not one OF them had ever worked for or
had been IN the employ Of the Texas and Pacific
coal company.
2 That the Texas and Pacific coal company
was new one and had possession Of the property
,. That they. the men. had quit work for the
johnson company about the 18th day of Septenl-
Der on account OF that company not being able to
gay them their wages.
l. That they had received their wages in full
from the Johnson coal company prior TO the date
of the transfer of the mine TO the Texas and Pa
cific coal company, and ct the time no one was
IN the employ of the johnson company.
5. That the Texas and Pacific coal company
has posted a circular part of which read as fol-
lows:
"a schedule OF prices and code Of rules can
be had BY calling at the Office. Any person wish
ing employment with the company must apply
In person to Dir. z. S. Weitzel, superintend-
cnt.
found that no one had made application for
work. They say the reason why they did not
was the great difference between the schedule OF
prices adopted by the Texas and Pacific coal COM
panv and that Of the Johnson coal eompany-the
prices for mining. according to the schedule of
the Texas and Pacific coal company being S1.15
to 10 while that OF the Johnson coal company
was 81. 40 to Si.s5.
s. The rules adopted BIZ the Texas and Pacific
coal company differed from those in use BY the
johnson coal company, for according to the
rules Of the Texas ana Pacific coal company GER
tain dead work Vas required from the men,
which IS not required by the defunct company,
the Johnson coal cCrnDauv.