The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-21
THE MINERS STRIKE.
Black Diamond Men Consider
ing Sliding Scale.
MORE MEN AT o. l. CO.'S MINES.
Negroes Still Pouring Into franklin
Miners Say They Are Poor Work
men-Saloons to Close.

A committee of miners from Newcastle
and Black Diamond came in last evening
and held conference with members of
the joint local executive board of the
Knights of Labor When asked by
PosT-1NTELLIGENcER reporter whether the
miners would return to work at Black
Diamond tomorrow, they answered that
no decision had as yet been reached, but
some action might be taken on Monday.
The Newcastle men claim that men are
being sent out from Seattle to work for 81
per day, and showed letter received by
gang of seven men from n. Poster,
the company's agent here, advising
that they be put to work and
stating that 81 per day was the
wages they were to receive, but that the
men did not go to work. They claim that
twenty-eight men employed at Newcastle
at present, none of them miners, are get
ting out more coal than the colored men
are getting out at Franklin; that the out
put at the latter place becomes less each
day owing to the poor manner in which
the mines are being worked. The Black
Diamond miners held meeting on Friday
night to consider an offer from President
Cornwall. of the mining company, of a
one or two years contract with a sliding
scale, the present rate of wages to be taken
as basis, land the rate to rise and fall with
the price in the San Francisco market.
The decision was deferred until last even
ing, when another meeting was to be held
at Cedar Mountain.
Reports received by the Oregon Improve
ment Company from Newcastle and Frank
lin state that increased forces are at work
at both places; that at Newcastle there are
over sixty men in the mine, some of whom
are skilled miners, most of them having
been hired in this city. At Franklin there
is a contant increase in the number of
negroes and Superintendent Corey esti-
mates that there are now over. 700 men
there. Mr.. Corey says that he receives
frequent applications for work from
negroes all over the country, one party of
150 having sent two delegates out here to
investigate in advance.
The shipments of coal yesterday to the
city were 300 tons from Newcastle and DDS
tons from Franklin.
Another blast of dynamite was fired at
Newcastle about midnight on Friday, but
did no damage.
William J. Davis, who was held for trial
in the superior court on charge of crimi-
nal assault on a little girl, returned to
Franklin ON Friday night waving an
American flag. 1t is said that he charges
the strikers with having concocted the &C
cusation against him for the purpose of
having revenge on him because he is work
ing as tracklayer in the mine.
Sheriff Woolery sent dispatch to Ben
Stretch, his deputy at Franklin, yesterday,
ordering him to notify the owners of all
saloons in Franklin to close their places
for one week.
Monday is pay day at the mines" said
the sheriff, land believing that the closing
of the saloons will tend to prevent much
drunkenness and possibly much trouble, 1
have taken this step. OF course have no
authority TO force the men to close their
saloons if they do not feel like it, but
think they will feel like it. They know
that the county commissioners will not
renew their licenses if they take an aggres-
sive stand in this matter. The commits
sioners have promised them that they will
allow their licenses to extend over and
make up for all time that they remain
closed"