The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-23
VICTORY FOR MINERS.
The Tennessee Convict Law tO
be Repealed Soon.
GOVERNOR CALLS LEGISLATURE
Strikers Will Probably Wait for the
Special Session-History Of
the Difficulty.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn, July Ex-Governor Buch-
anan today held q lengthy consultation with
militia officers and the miners committee.
Finally this evening he announced that he had
determined to call an extra session OF the legis-
lature and had issued . call for an election to
fill vacancies In the call for special session
he will smbody the recommendation that the
convict lease system be modified, if not repealed
Pending the election the convicts must re-
turn to the Briceyille mines, from which they
were evicted. If the miners agree not to modest
them until the legislature acts, the militia will
be sent home. A committee from the miners
decided to lay the matter before mass meeting
tomorrow before replying. Those best ac-
qusinted with the mountain people believe the
miners will accept the proposition. II they do
not the eonvicts will return to Coal Creek
accompanied BY the militia. If the state troops
do not furnish adequate protection the United
States will be asked to send regulars.
COAL CREEK, Tenn, July 22.-All is quiet at
noon. The miners are putting guard around
the compsnys property.
The Briceville mine is only about four miles
from Coal Creek, branch prison, and has been
worked by free labor heretofore. The miners
struck some time back. and, showing no dispo-
eition to come to terms, the Knoxville Iron
Company made contract with the sub-lessees
OF the male prison to mine coal for
them at 30 much per ton. The trouble
| grows out of difficulty about a scale
| Oh NhSeA Inc IenDesSee ADdl MlDlUR
| Company last spring had difficulty with its
men about the wages paid, the men claiming
they should have weigher of their own and
| that they should be paid for all todd weights.
| The system In vogue is to put 1000 pounds on q
| mine car. IL 1t weighs 1915 pounds the miner
| gets credit for but 1900. II IL weighs 1905
| pounds he gets credit for but 1000; the object
being to facilitate the work of weigh
| ing by uniform weights. There was q
difference also between the operators and
miners on the question of grading
and classifying the coal. Every effort was made
| to settle the trouble in the spring, and IL was
| finally fixed up and the men went TO work. But
they were not allowed to continue long, as labor
agtators kept interfering, it is charged, and the
men quit work. The operators allowed the
| niue to remain idle for time, but, as the busy
| season was coming on, they determined to COM
menee work, and as the free miners would not
| go TO work they contracted with the state for
| lbs eonyicts.
SPRINGFIELD, H., July 22-The strike of the
Big Four switchmen continues, with no vio-
lence.
HARRISBURG, July 22.-The great Pennsyl-
yania steel Works at steelton, except the ma
chine shop, boiler shop, foundry and frog de-
partments shut down this morning on account
OF q disagreement on the wages scale. There
has been no trouble so far. 1t is understood
that the company will attempt to resume with
non-union men. The employees OF the frog,
switch and signal departments quit work before
noon and joined the strikers