Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-03-27
Reply to MIR. Van Fossen's Card.

TO ne EdiOr 0f me htgtSter'
SR:-We see by to-day's REGISTER that
Mr.. Van FOssen has taken exception
To the action of the Coal Miners Union and
the Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assem-
by in instituting boycott on his Slack
town mine by exhibiting TO the public gaze
his wonderful blue bird story. with which
the miners of Local No. are very familiar.
He seems to think the Trades Assembly
little too premature in taking action in the
matter without making thorough investi-
CATION Now we do not desire 10 enter into
"a lengthy newspaper correspondence or
harangue Mr. Van FOsscn at all, but 10
place ourselves right before those who have
read his one-sided story, we desire TO
say that our brothers at Slacktown
went on strike two weeks ago
last Monday against working by
weight over very large screen. which
they had perfect right 10 do. On the fol-
lowing Thursday two members OF the Lo-
cal Board of No. 1 paid Mr.. Van Fossen a
visit for the purpose of etfecting a settle
ment. if possible We met that gentleman
and his cstimable lady bookkeeper at their
home and had quite "A lengthy discussion
pro and con relative TO the matter, in
which the Blue Bird part was not forgot
ten. Mr. Van Fossen finally agreeing his
men should 90 TO work as usual in the same
manner of working that is, two cents per
bushel. run of mine, which is the District
price,. on the following Monday morning,
as nc had two gOndolas OF coal at the rail
road yards 10 dispose of on Friday and Sat
urday. This being agreed TO. we left them.
perfectly satisfied with our visit, but on the
Sunday before the men were 10 20 10 work
we got information that Mr.. Van Fosscn
had made another kind OF a proposition to
reduce the wages of his miners: that is 10
saw by the miners throwing part of their
coal. called slack, away and that he had got
six of his old miners that agreed TO the new
arrangement The local board went 10 see
some Of these men the same day, and the
story they told shows plainly what an oper
ator will stOop 10 for gain. Monday morn
ing came. when only two out Of the six seen
fit 10 be led into disgrace by accepting the
new proposition On Tuesday the local
board together with the Mine Committee Of
that mine. visited Mr. Van Fossen at the
works TO get his final answer which was
II mean to run my works To suit myself
This ended our business with him. As for
the slack question, he claims there is no ir-
regularity in slack. suppose not, since those
poor misguided men he has are throwing II
away regularly If throwing away one wa
gOn in six is not a reduction on run OF
mine scale. what is II! What puzzles the
average union man is that the gentleman
referred TO- who would glory in the disrup
ton of the Miners Union was once prom
inent union man himself-a member of the
Amalgamated Association Of |. :. II w.
We doubt by his actions If he ever was a
union man at heart He asks the Coal
Miners Union why they make distinction
between home peddling mines and outside
mines Now, most Of us remember very
well the circumstance when Mr.. Kimberly.
Brooks and Marshall and Vaufossen first
introduced the scale system in the city.
without rehashing it, Now the crushed
nature OF the Wheeling coal will not admit
Of Il. and if figures are necessary we
can prove IL TO his hearts content. II Is the
aim of the Miners Union not to discrimi-
nate against any one operator in favor OF
another. and if Mr.. Van FOssen or any
other coal operator feels himself aggl1cyed
at the action of the Miners Union the Ar
bitratOn Committee Of the Ohio Valley
Trades Assembly or the National EXecu-
tive Board of the United Mine Workers OF
America will investigate 10 the satisfaction
Of all concerned. II is not the intention or
will Of the union 10 suppress any ol the
facts connected with the present difficulty.
As for the statement that he only received
- bushels when he ought to realize l4O
bushels. il is false and he cannot prove II.
II is like the balance Of the article, written
10 misguide the public As forthe Presi-
dent of the Miners Union saying there was
no strike. nor could it be called strike. it's
also denied by him. We suppose that is Mr..
VS. version of IT,
Ex. Board or MINERS Local UNioN.