The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-10-12

When strikes Came on Wages were
Maintained at Iianna's,,iines, and they
Needed No Protection from Troops.
Splendid Itseori ns an Employer OF
Labor.
CHICAGO, Oct. 11.-Mr. William A.
Karncy an Iron worker of Pittsburgh.
has been Identified with the cause OF
organized labor for many years. He Is
now first vice president OF thc Anal
gamated Association OF the Iron and
Steel Workers. and he was for four
years vice president of the American
Federation OF Labor. He was at the
Mccoy House in this city yesterday,
and when asked 81 he had seen Robert
Askew's recent attack on Mr.. NJ. A.
llama, said:
Yes, have read Robert Askew's
recent attack on Mr.. Hanna, and in
common with the great mass OF work.
ingmen. 1 consider 1t purely political
document. gotten UP FOR the purpose
1f inJuring Governor Mckinley and the
cause OF protection and honest money.
II Mr.. Askew had wanted to enlighten
the public concerning Mr.. Hanna's
treatment OF his employees why did he
not give a history of the Winthrop
mine during the last six years that the
firm OF VI. A. Eanna & Co. have con-
;rolled IL? Instead Of doing that he
makes. upon his own unsupported au-
thority. number OF charges relating
10 the affairs OF mine. that NJ. A.
Hanna & Co. have controlled only
about year.
Il began looking into the charges
against Mr.. Hanna some weeks ago in
the interest OF labor and not OF politics.
except as wished to see the triumph
Of the cause of protection. At my re-,
quest Mr.. Horace Stevens, OF Ish-
peming. Mich, gave this subject a thor
hugh investigation, and In the course
OF a very full reply 10 my question he,
says:
THE first interest secured by Mr..
Hanna or his firm was in February
1880. VIXEN the Winthrop mine was
bought by ". A. Hanna C Co. and Mr..
Fred Braastab. Il leading merchant OF
Ishpeming. Previous to Its purchase
that mine was called the ''man-trap".
on account OF its danger to life and
limb, but under its, present owner
ship II has become one OF the safest
mines In the district. The number OF
accidents have decreased, although the
force employed and the, output have
increased
1T has been a custom in this dis
tricr fort he mining companies to build
houses TO be rented to employees, land
being rented also TO those who wished
10 build for themselves. at an annual
charge OF $50 a year. Many OF the en-
ployes OF the Winthrop mine had built
little homes and paid an annual ground
rent until the Winthrop Company, un-
der Mr.. Hanna's direction. remitted
this rent. since when they have paid
nothing for the use of the land. This
change from the established policy OF
all the mines In the district was made
by the company. by Mr.. Hanna's eX-
press order, long before the panic had
compelled other corporations 20 reduce
their rental
Own Their Own Homes.
"'Mr. Hanna believes that II makes
a. better citizen OF a man to own his
own home, and therefore he gave to
those miners who wished to build a
home the full 'use OF land I.iese lots
are generally more than an acre, in
size, some OF them four and five acres,
for which not one penny Of rental Is
charged, while other mining c0mpa-
ries charge $50 year for q much
smaller piece Of ground.
The first strike that took place In
this district since Mr.. Hanna became
interested here was IN October. 1890.
the question In dispute being one OF
hours OF labor The second strike oc-
cured In 1895, on the question OF wages.
The miners where the strike OrigIna-
ted visited the other mines in II body.
inducing the men TO stop work. The
manager OF the Winthrop minc. MIR,
Braastab. was absent, but upon his
return all was satisfactorily arranged
in n short time by mutual concessions
and the men returned TO work. They
had been Idle but twcnty-four hours.
The men from all the other mines re-
TalEed out three weeks, and then re-
turned to work without having gain
ecd their point These facts are still
fresh in the minds VI most of the
miners Of the 1shpem!ng district. len
deav0red to secure mutual concessions
among the miners dnd managers dur
Ing this strike. but WAS una bic to do
80, although that result wa5Y reached
in the case OF Mr.. Eanna's property
without the intercGsslOn OF outside par
;lcs.'
The second and last strike In the
district took place last summer, begin-
Ming july 10. 1896, and continued five
weeks. The miners at Winthrop were
HhtIsncd with their wages, but walked
out on account OF the strong pressure
from other mines. After a conference
between the mninRcr and the men. the
miners OF the Winthrop unanimously
decided TO return to their places. but
were prevented from doing so. as the
miners at the other mines hud decided
that all should 20 to work or none.
Eventually the mines at IRhpcmlng
proper were compelled 10 Gull on the
governor for protection. or NJ lcast did
cali on him, though there had been 10
acts OF violence. The l'ifih Michigan
state regiment came and remained hero
nearly four weeks. Al the mIncn re-
celved protection except the Winthrop,
which felt that II did not need any, ana
not q soldier came near itB property.
II employed no extra watchmcn. had no
troops. left 100000 worth OF machinery
and surface improvements all unkuard-
cd, and no attempt was made TO de-
stroy on injIirr any OF H. Three weeks
before the strike cnded the miners voted
to allow ihe Winthrop men 10 10 back
Ia work, which was done, nn1 they
worked steadily during the last three
weeks. while the roIdiers wore there
guardlDg the property df the other
mlnca OF tho district.
Wages sJhininInsd.
ION the ilrst day OF this month all
of tho mines OF the IEhpcmlnE district
reduced wages with the exception OF