The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-05
the cA USE or THE STRIKE.
A History Of tho origin II tho Present
Trnnbles In The lat Top Region.


POCAHONTAS. VA, May special.
As there have been several conflicting
statements sent out from ibis section
as 70 what vGc the real causes when le1
10 the strike Of miners In the
Pocahontas Flat-Top coal-held, your
correspondent yesterday went inter
viewing for the purpose Of find
ing what was the real condition OF the
miners. as well as the difference between
railroad receivers and operators in the
field.
II would seem that at the time tho nrst
coal was shipped from the Flat-Iop
mines. and for few years afterwards
the miners received as good or better
rsv than their brethren In any otnef
region. but with the building ana opening
of the Ohio extension of the Norfolk
and Western railroad, the output OF the
field was largely Increased. as Wi as
brought into sharp competition with 'he
product Of the New river or chesapeake
ind Ohio coal. Then came "a reduction
iu the selling price of the Flat-Top out
mi and ccIseQuent reductions I'm the
wages Of the miners was made from
time 10 time
These reductions we're not made direct
l.. and TO a fun understanding IL is heces-
earv TO state that the miners IN TINS
field have never been paid by weights.
but bv cars. These mining cars when the
field was first developed were supposed
TO carry two tons each. for the cutting
and hauling Of which the miners re-
coivcd scventy-fve 20 nnety cents. ac-
cording 10 location. and from time 10
time as the operators were forced 10 &C
ccpt reductions in the selling price OF
coal the size of these cars was increased
until ~ IS claimed by the miners that
Tho cars in use In many Of the mines
at the present time carry three tons or
coal.
The price for digging and loading has
remained stationary until the oolh oi
April. when notices were posted at all
tho onerations I'm the Flat-Top field.
with the exception OF nvc-thc southwest
Virginia Improvement company ihe
browning mines the Grocer, the Up
land. and Houston operations asking thc
miners to accept "A general reduction OF
from 70 20 ~ per cent the operators
claiming tfat the reduction was neces-
sarv TO the operation of their mines. Ihe
result was the strike OF tho l5.ooo men
EMPLOYED H. the thirty-three operations
along the Elkhon river and simmons
creek
rur MrNF-woRKFR's ORGANIZATIONS
Interviews with leaders among the
strikers bring out in pilei the joilo"l's
state Of fdcts.
The United Mine Workers Of America
lave ORGANIZATIONS. twcnty-three IN num-
Ter. distributed I'm such way as 10 cover
tho entire field Ncst of Pocahonlas' with
a total bCrship of 5.lS5, which num-
Ter constitutes "a little more tn'n Two
thirds of the underground employees oil INC
operations affected 10y the strike
These men claim many grleNan 'eS'
choicest among them unreaso le dock
ege and exhorbitant prices charged icr
supplies In ihe company stor 80 IN when
they are compelled TO buy
While NO formal demands have been
n ade by the miners as the condiuoh
of their return 20 work. yolr correspond
Ont learns somi-officiaiiy that their "e-
minds viii bee a scale OF 81 IL cents peg
ton weight at the scales. ana thal
uniform and reasonable price Tor mining
supplics. such as powder, dynamite AN"
fuse he charged at the COMPANY S'o. w.
based on the same prices charged Tor inc
same articles in the mining regions OF
Pennsylvania and ohio.
sHIrFTR's sIDr.
In discussing the situation with one o.
the largest shippers who posted hot'ees
of reduction. 1 elected tie Iollo"i"s
statement: ~,
The entire output OF the Flat-Top neld
has for "A number of years been hdhdftd
hv the Po.lhoutas coal COMPANY they
huving the coal from the operators al
stated prices. and finding the market
themselves. the price paid by IL FOR the
year ls9l being an all-round average OF
p IL cents per ton r .. Is. al the
mines When the Norfolk and Western
Railroad Company went into the hands OF
receivers. the rOcahontas Coal company
which was virtually the Norfolk ana
Western Railroad co. so far as con'rol
wa concerned passed out or existence
and Cashier 4 Curran. of Philadelphia
Il sales agents or Inc
orcrators. their FIRST proposition bclnS a
sliding scale. based on market conditions.
This proved unsatisfactory 10 many 90
the operators. and resulted IN the ioImd-
lion of Pocahontas company. the OBJECT
of this company being the protection OF
.ho GENERATORS in the matter Of freight
rates and the maintenance OF the price
of coal at uniform selling price This
association Is composed OF thiriY-tWo
operators. the exceptions being the south
west Company. the Browning mines inc
crozer. Upland. and Houston The mum
h,r COMPOSING the association shipped d
per cent. Of the entire output OF the heli
an ring the year 1894
Many efforts have been made In the
last two mon ths looking to an agreement
as 90 scale OF prices and freight rates
a. between the pccahonias company inc
tracpcndcnt operators, and me receivers
by which the mines could be operated
With a redu ton of wages, but WAS never
concluded.
cAsrSRR 4 crRRAN's PROPOSITION.
on or about April 18th Castner Curran
sui nited the I lowing az the only prOpo'
nitltn from The receivers.
As several letters have passed between
US I'm regard 10 coal tolls To be charged
by the receivers OF the Norfolk ana West
efu. We would withdraw all previous ana
submit the following TO YOU as the basis
upcn which the receivers agree TO move
your coal:
Railroad fuel. 6 cents inspected.
Eastern line coal. 10 cents inspected.
SHIPMENTS by ohio extension. % cents
inspected.
And pro rate the tdewa;er coal as
follows: