The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-05-04
ALL OUT AT ROSLYN.
White and Negro Miners United
Against the Reduction.
MORE EASTERN MINES CLOSED.
4 Conference - % Heid-Trssps Sent
% Keep Order Anssg Mssaba
1rsD Miners.

RcSLYy. May 3-fSpecial- IAN work
pertaining 20 the operation Of the extern
sive mines Of the Northern Pacific Coal
Company VS. tonight suspended indef-
niteiy BY order Of the general manage
rnenf, and the paymaster was instructed
TO make out the April payroll without
delay. This means On absolute suspension
OF business here until . settlement Is
effected with the men now out. or until
their places are supplied by other work
men. The whistle blew again for work
this morning, bat none Of the miners re-
ported for duty and the company men
Who had appeared for work were sent
home. 80 their labors could not be per-
formed in the absence Of the drivers It
10 understood that but very few have
signed the new contract. and from the
general talk about the city today
the men are more determined than
ever not to accept the % per cent re-
duction, bat = willingness 10 expressed
to accept 10 per cent. cut as embodied in
the proposition submitted to the company
Tuesday. The mine management state
that their ultimatum has been announced
and that tho positions formerly held by
the miners and drivers now out will be
filed at the earliest possible moment, -
coal orders are piIing mp that must be
supplied. In IN interview with several Of
the leading miners today it was stated
that they would meet the company half
way on any far proposition. and that
they desired to settle the difficulty with
ont any trouble. However. 1t Was Incl
dentally mentioned that any attempt to
import labor would be ssrsnuously re-
sisted. The coiorsd miners now in the
camp are acting uniformly with the white
miners. What course the company will
pursue in securing new men has not been
announced. General Manager Kangley is
now in Chicago on his way west and his
arrival is anxiousiy awaited.
A circular was distributed In the city
yesterday. signed by the committee of the
Roslyn miners, announcing that they had
been locked out and requesting all miners
to keep away from that place until the
strike is settled. The circular states that
in 1888 wages only averaged about SIS .
month and that they could not make .
living If a reduction of % per cent were
made. but that they were willing to accept
. cut Of 10 per cent
The following communication from
miner at Gilman gives what seems to be q
plausible explanation of the reductions
both at that mine and 1t Koslyn:
GILMAN. May 8, 1898.
ITO THE EDITOR: The strike at Roslyn
Is watched with . great deal of interest
here. The Seattle Coal and Iron Company
had . contract to furnish the Union Pacific
with 1000 tons Of coal per month for the
last year. ending May /. In April bids
were opened by the Union Pacific to supply
LOO tons per week. The Seattle Coal and
Iron Company reduced wages here 10 per
cent. in March especially to be able to bid
low enough to secure the contract, but the
Rosiyn company underbid il and con-
tracted the coal % low that. il it MAKES
the % per cent. cut stick, 1t will have but
a small margin OF gain-I cannot give the
exact figures
Funny; the men here suffered . 10 per
cent. cut, the Roslyn miners 20 per cent.
cut, the Seattle Coal aud Iron Company Ii
not benefited, the Northern Pacific Coal
Company (Roslyn mine) 10 not benefited.
and the Union Pacific bondholders pocket
about $l5, GOO out Of the deal and don't
even say thank you.
Time was when the man who had the
best article and the best location was con-
sidered the strong man IN business compe-
tition. Now the man who can get men to
work for the lowest sum with which they
can keep body and soul together is the
king of tinanciers.
The Northern Pacific Coal Company
has got to furnish the coal, whether Il
makes the reduction stick or not"