The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-11

Ger Josn H. Bryant, receiver Of the
SEATTLE CoAi aud iron Company. rssasEso
yesterday rzornsnx tram the company :
srsnes .: fssssusa. where he WAS csA>o
tae prscesiag day on accourf Of tie ssFiks
among the coal miners.
Ger Bryar. was very busy during she
day. bur late yesterday afternoon be gave
3 representative % the Posi-Irseliisercef
his views O. the situation Tie trcuoss.
according TO Gen. Bryant, 10 due 70 TIE
chtecsicr or ss1a part Of the men 70 hav-
ing the contents OF the coal cara wesgnec
ard the dirt. sha;e ana slate thrown cut
liz the lower levels Of . drift" said Gen.
Bryant. s+sse coal ss wet. and IL takes less
80 reach tiae average capacity OF car,
sooo pounds, than when the mining opera.
ssors are carried On higher up. TIE men
send out cars that carry possible bulk
the sane as that OF tbs we. coal. but IL
does net weigh the same. ard the only way
We can determine what Is delivered 70 Us
Is 10 put Il on the scales. This the miners
objected 30. saying that the cars contain
thu 400 roaradsL Our observations from
Weighing havs demonstrated 10 US that
there Ia not that amount
Then the men object TO docking or
taking out the dirt and refuse that IL sent
up with the coal. II Is necessary that this
should be done, as the dump where the
waste IN thrown shows that clean coal Is
hy the miners. AZ the hunkers II Is s,rtsd
again. and when our cargo coal reaches
San Francisco Il Is again sorted. and our
purchasers there deduct from our bill for
the refuse thar Is shipped 10 them.
I'VE can't pay for the dirt II we &C
coded to the demands OF the men I. would
increase our mining expenses Is per cent.
We employ thirteen men a. our mines for
no ether purpose that that OF sorting and
throwing out the dirt from the coal.
When / was up there yesterday ! Of
fere1 10 let tie men put q checkman o.
their own al our scales. ! said 20 them
that would allow them 10 see all Of the
weights. and they might pay for the man
by deduction from their wages, which i
would collect. The entire matter Of
supervision and inspection OF our weights
lay with them. or course. II We paid him
then he would be our man. Well, they
refused my proposition.
The matter Ii largely one Of belief that
there Is a scarcity Of men. Many Of the
miners have left the mines TO 80 10 the
gold fields, and I suppose those who re-
main are under the belief tina, other men
cannot be employed. Then there MAJ be
some measure of sympathy between our
men and the striking coal miners OF the
East. as the questions OF doekage are the
same.
"of course II Is bad FOR the company. as
nave oeeu Obliged 10 clauge some OF our
contracts. As an officer OF the court do
not feel justified in making any allowances
that would increase our expenses. To the
purchasers OF the company's business. who
will take hold before long. II would appear
strange that the affairs Of the mines could
be carried on at certain expense. and
that when the transfer was about 10 be
made its operating expenses ran up Is per
cent
Gen. Bryant further stated that on his
arrival az the mines he was met by largo
number OF miners, whom he describes as
men OF unusual intelligence. The receiver
discussed the situation with them. and
dwelt particularly upon the fact that a
shutdown at this time would be disas-
trous. He pointed out that the property
would soon pass into the hands OF the
new owners. and that policy OF nodera-
ton should prevail. X was the opinion
that the men would not at present persist
in blocking the entire business OF their
town.
II was believed at Issaguah last night
that the men would return 10 the mines
this morning. Several meetings were held
yesterday. and strong sentiment was de-
veloped among many Of the strikers In
favor OF going back TO work. Whether
they Will accept Gen. BryaHt's offer TO
have their own checkman has not yet been
made known.