The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-07-23

pr CO vi coal has gone down stendily. Tho
wages, OF the Tree miners have grown less
The East Tennessee newspapers took up the
maitor and protested that convict labor was
nothing. had no families. and owned no prop.
crty. They were driving free labor out, but
i Ina iossoned taxes. and as western and Mid.
dle Tennessee wore free from the evils OF the
system East Tennessee was forced to bear The
burden.
BEGAN OVER CHECK wE1GHMAN.
Under tho laws OF Tennessee the FREQ miners
are allowed to have q check weiRhmnn. provtd-
cd thoy pay for him themselves. The check
Meghman stands at the. scales beside the
miners get credit Tor nil the coal they send ur.
the " present Coal Creek troubles came about:
feN years ago some new mines were opened
Creek Soon Tie work was s extensive enough
TO employ 600 minors. The scattering settle
msn' u anything 50 ,s might nv Ss s.
A year ago last january the GOO miners em-
manded a check weiehman. 10 this right Of
the miners the company ie luciantly c9nse1te "a,
s sns named ne ny was you'd
not stand him and. complained Of him to tho
miners Who liked tho man and refused TO dis
was 20 rid of and The ielations 6etween the
miners and the company became very much
the mine. On May l they drew IN cast iron
They said that unless the minors signed it they
would start up the mine with conyic! labor:
The con,raet nSndtI sI tHnt no SS Ssns
weirhman should be employed ard that no
labor agitation should gor IN; me miners a,im
would hnvo been. foibiiden to them without
permission from the mine boss.
TO an outside person tue contract seems fair
enough. and even more generous thnn su"h
an are de
leaders 80 convinced them. And although ., the
satisfactory discussion. many OF the, miners
there there Those Who remained did SO ecanse
they owned their houses or BECAUSE they hnu
sns hS phsy
a ,Ss componv found
they entered into an agreement with tho
lessees OF the Statss conylcts. The Tennessee
Wet labor could not DO INTRODUCED at Brice:
willie without disturbnnce. 40 they provided
ade. mine tho coal. guard the convicts and. in
fact, do everything but put the coal IN the
market. The price the company received was was
from the mines operated by free miners
THE CoNv1cTs ARRIVE AT THE TENNESSEE MINES.
On July ] gang Of forty convicts marched
up e the tennessee ha Mining S1mpans mine
AIDE. only far larger. The stockade was also t0
be placed in u depression. overlooked on all
sides by hills and mountains. Whom the free
miners saw the hated zenias march up 70 he
;or their r'I now hall. starved families their
wrath burst forth Violently They saw that It
t ws all avsp With thn hcpe Tbe a
lies could starvs, the mining settlement
would go to pieces property would Re worth
neie hborhood as well as the miners. And the
convict labor was making another encroach-
ment upon honest free labor. and all Tree
mnsps Of bs nSs
between these people drew them close together.
The leaders had no need to argue In order to
few NIGHTS af.erwaFd; tho stockale having
meet'n was held; To this meeting came the
renresentatiyes Of the miners Of ali that reeon
Each carried his gun. Some carried "inehes.
5 sso, 81 snee,
place Of meeting was hal. cleared pGrt Of TIC
forest The loot Of tho
that mountain region to make out faees
in a circle around the large group. aud 70
ss ns Ss Ps T Rss via hs n lass
as 't Tie men men gath sred in tho hall darkness
They swore terrible oaths and talked furious.
shrleked aloud. infamea " the aery corn
whiskey and by the lire OF the orators These
methods They knew that the mountain fast
nesses were secure: that their riflos and guns
csr.ed far and truly that hsy Want om tesm
Some spoke Of bloody work. but the leaders
counselIed mildness. and that counsel Won.
WARNING THAT THE CoSvIcTs MUST GO.
The next day committee OF miners waited
on Foreman Goodwin. who had charge OF the
conyicts. and told him that the free minors had
ordered that he and his convicts must 90. and
their own saie:y. Goodwin answered. thar he
there charge Of those c9nves and haf
recnsa By the a@u The
the warning; Several DAYS passed with nut any
standing in groups wal ching the rapid progress.
Of the Rrea. stockade with gloomy faces.
ployers that the miners would submit without
giving trouble. Tho forty convics were sent 10
guarded. Just beiore midnight OF July IA tho
they had held their meeting: They came over
tho mountains OF tho gorge from evory direc-
tion. silently speaklpg only in whispers. BY
midnight the moon shone on band OF three
gun. and many carrying pistols beside. When
al were come the march for the the mine pine was
Goodwin was aroused from his sleep in a cot
tage deserted by miners family. and was told
to get on his clothes ms quick ns possible.
When he came out into the moonlight he saw
this army OF men. and was not u little dis
turbed.
EscoIT1NG THE coNvICTs OUT.
what do you want ?" he said.
We arc going t. take you and your con-
miner md storekeeIer named Eugene Mer.
ril. and we want you to promise that you
will 90 away and will not come back again."
Goodwin protested and fatty refused to 60.
The circle OF armed men grew larger. and the
moonlight showed clearly that guns were
Goodwin changed his mind and agreed TO 90.
headed BY Goodwin and the guards. starred
down the rough Ioad lead ing to tho
railroad station at Coal Creek, five miles
away. Tho miners divided into two Soc
tons. one going before and the other
following the retreatinp convicis and guards.
Not word was said on the long walk, Whom
they reached The station nj 3 o'clock on
Wednesday morning. Jrly Is. Goodwin prom
Iced thai he would take the conyirts back to
Knoxville on the $50 train. With this agree:
ment the miners Wore content and dispersed
quickly. Goodwin kept his word and ut $40
O'clock the people OF Knoxville were thronginx
the streets about the Jail TO get view OF the
return0l cOnyictS.