The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-05-04

True Inwardness Of the West Vir-
ginia Coal Miners Strike,
A QUESTION OF FREIGHT RATES.

Mine Owners sympathlge with Their Em-s
ployes in tho struggle for Living Wages,
but Cannot Pay the Rate Demanded on
Account of Exorbitant Railroad Charges.
CHARLESTON, w. Va, May Accord
ing to a statement we'll vouched for the
strike now on in the Elkhorn region is the
result of scheming on the part of the Nor
folk and WGa,'rn railway, begun over a
year ago, when the general mining strike
ard coal famines swept over the country
II was then openly charged that Presi-
dent Mcbride, of the Mine Workers
union, had been induced by F. J. Kim
bell, then president and now one of the
receivers of the Norfolk and Western, to
keep the labor organizations out of the
Flat Top region, and to allow them to
run, for which, the charges were, Mcbride
received IA substantial compensation.
These charges were openly made against
Mr.. Mcbride in the labor organizations,
but he was cleared
The Norfolk and Western during that
strike shipped more coal than ever before,
the western railroads being compelled to
buy from 1t at increased prices. While the
road was enjoying the. great coal boom
than before for their coal, they demanded
of the operators a reduction of from So to
7c cents. The operators refused to put it
at 10 cents, but agreed to let it come down
| to 75 cents, This the road would not ac-
cept and the matter hung fire for some
time.
Finally, under some clause in the con
/ tracts with the railroad, the operators saw
| their right to arbitrate all differences of
this kind, and the matter was laid before
| board of arbitration that met in Pbila-
delphia last summer. The question was
whether the railroad was justified at that
time in making the demand for rcduc-
| tion on account of the price of coal in the
market at that time. After some weeks,
when it became evident that the board ;
| award would be against them, the railroad
summarily withdrew from the arbitration,
which action naturally dumped the whole
business. The result was the road re-
newed its peremptory demands for the
reduction, and finally compromise OF
| 724 was affected, which price remained in
vogue until the first part of the present
| year, when Mr.. Kimbell, of the Norfolk
and Western, notified the operators that
another cut had to be made March l.
In the meantime the railroad went into
the hands Of receivers, and the legislature
had passed a law forbidding railroads
dealing in coal OF course, the Norfolk
and Western went out, and the operators
employed the company's old sale agents,
| Cessen q Curran, of Philadelphia, u
carry on their business. The question OF
freight rates then came into prominence,
and their adjustment from the Flat TOP
! regions to tidewater is the present bone OF
| contention, The receivers of the railroad
| demanded G5 per cent. of the selling price
of coal at Tidewater, leaving the operator
35 per cent, which would yield to coal
companies about SO cents per ton al
mines.
The mine owners claim they cannot pro
duce coal at this price, and that the rail
road company or its receivers were not
justified in demanding Sl.25, having
shipped thousands of tons at 30 cents, il
some instances as low as 46. They have
accordingly been compelled to close theil
mines or reduce wages greatly, so as tt
meet the price arbitrarily fixed for the re
ceivers of the railroad. They understand
that their employees cannot afford to stanC
reduction, and have no quarrel will
them, and are interested in compelling
the railroad 20 carry the coal at such rat
as will continue to allow them to pay tn
old scale of wages and realize 72k cent
on every ton The miners on New Rive
are getting S712 cents for the same coal
This is very important strike, and it
outcome will affect every coal man in tn
/ state