The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-18
COREY AND HIs BLACK MEN.
SuperIntend@ nt Tells When. Where and
why He Recruited Them.

why ne recruited
FRANKLIN, May l7.-IspeciaLI- man is
more jubilant at the successful close OF the
journey than T. B. Corey, who, it is now evil
dent, is still superintendent Of mines for the
Oregon Improvement Company. When he LETT
Seattle, two months ago, he went through the
mining regions of the Central states where he
had been mine superintendent before coming
10 Washington. He said 10 PosT-lNTELLIeEN-
GER reporter. as he marched through the forest
at the head of his army
al got the negroes all over, from Briarwood,
ILL.,, Hannibal, Mo-, Rich Hill, Kan, and from
Indiana. The men assembled at st. Louis, COM
ing from all directions to that city. We left
there last Monday morning and went to st. Paul.
There we took the Northern Pacific train and
came right through to this place. l am very
glad the journey is over, for have had enough
travelling in the last two months to last me some
time. don't believe have slept in a bed OF a
sleeping-car seven nights during the whole time,
and I've been sleeping on the cars for the last
seven nights"
lie certainly had the appearance of a man
whose nerves have been shaken by constant
travelling and hard brain work He continued
al could have got 2,000 men Just as easily as
got these, for they were all eager to come out
here A great many OF them are men who have
worked with me already in the East, and three
fourths OF them are experienced miners. They
at the Oregon Improvement Compsnys mines,
the terms of the contract being about the same
those in the contract offered at
Newcastle some time ago. They
are to be paid the same general
rate for mining as we now pay, though the
details OF the scale in regard to other work will
have to be arranged later. The reason why the
company has brought in these men is that Il has
determined to take possession of its own
property and manage 1t. The miners have been
in possession of il so far and the consequence is
that the company has been losing money on the
franklin mine. The immediate question at
issue was the right of the superintendent to hire
and discharge whom he pleased. They have
taken away this right from US and the conse-
quence is that the company has not been getting
full value for its money. / have pleaded with
them and reasoned with them, but il was of no
avail"
"Shall you give the whites q chance to 60 to
work under contract before you put the blacks
10 work." asked the reporter. NO." was the
decisive reply. ave have given them chances
enough. They have broken faith with US re-
peatedly, and we don't want any more OF their
promises. IL was because we were deprived OF
the right to hire and discharge men that we
shut down Franklin last fall and have been do
ing nothing since. except to open up this new
slope. We have given them chances enough,
and shall give them no more At Newcastle the
Oau hniHntS OF LApOr IhctlOQ agreed 70 sign
contract, but when IL was submitted to them
they went right back on their word and went on
& strike with the other fellows You cannot
make an agreement with such men as that This
is no fight for lower wages or against labor
organization; but for the possession of the com.
psny's property. We are going TO put stop TO
this ghost dance once for all. These men have
been dancing longer than the Indians did and
have done more mischief by It. They seem 10
haVa gathered har "a faet NJ 0f r.,
IN the country and dumped them right into
this country and the result is that
capitalists are frightened ont of investing
here. I could always get along with labor
unions in the East, and always worked with
them. I was elected mayor OF Briarwood largely
by the vote OF workingmen who are members of
the labor unions. That does not look as though
! was an enemy of organized labor, but have
tried 20 work with these men here and l can't
do IT, have brought these men hero TO work
the mines under contract to work three years
and they are exercising their rights as American
citizens BY coming. Many OF them are men
have worked VITA in Illinois, and / have
always gotten along well with oolored
men. They know that if they have
any grievances they have orly to go
20 the mine foreman. and If he does not rec
tity IL, appeal TO me, and If there is anything
wrong will rectify It That is the way we
used TO run things in Illinois, and ii worked
well for both parties. Colored men are not gen
orally given credit for being men of their word,
but my experience is. when n colored man has
made promise he sbides hy IL. They are good
workmen, reasonable in their dealings, and are
not perpetually sinking like these crsnks. We
shall quarter them all at Franklin at present
Whether we shall draft any OF them over TO New
castle just vet cannot say"
Although Corey Is blamed above all others for
the present situation at the mines, and is nAtur-
ally the man who would of all others become
the object OF the hatred and vengeance of the
white miners. he was one Of the few men in the
column which marched through the forest who
were uuarmed He gave ell his arms away 70
negroes who had been left without guns
the siding, aud when, during the mSr@al, one of
the mere tmid among them expressed his fears,
Corey showed ais Qatxsts devoid OF any weapon
more formidable than pocket knife Yet soon
after ais departure for the East the Franklin
miners burned him "a sngy As token Of their
lov ing regard
The iIaporsAtion OF the negroes Is the general
tonic s&t discussion not ouly az Franklin
li,ss about this section generally. Palmer ia ina
headquarters Of number OF railroad hands
and the expressions OF opinion given bv
many be taken - representative OF The reuersl
opinion among them, the action az the COMPANY
does not meet with their approval They sem
70 regard the introduction Of negro labor in
much the same ligat as that OF Chinese. and .esr
that IL viii smblttes labor controversies hv in
jeesing race prsjuclcs into them. OF course
among woskingmen generally the sentiment
would be against imported men of whatever
race, but here the ooies Of the men seems 20 be
a. addsd oh.sesscn.