The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-16

Although the fact has not yet been
officially announced, it nevertheless is
true that the miners engaged in the
Diamondville mine which is largely
owned by oregon Short Line nagnates,
and from which that road gets a large
amount Of the coal used in running
the engines, went out on strike on
Tuesday. There are 175 of them in ali,
and the trouble was caused by a fail
ure to agree as TO the payment for the
slack mined.
1t appears when the miners take out
coal, they get pay FOR the lump product
mined, and the slack counts for Moth
ing. They ask that when the sum Of
the slack equals % per cent of the coal
product that they be paid for handling
it. This matter was brought to the
attention OF the owners some time ago,
but refusal resulted in the men walk
ing out and declining to do any more
work.
At the offices of the company yester-
day afternoon the statement was made
that the strike was q matter of small
importance, and was deserving Of no
more than a casual mention. But there
was a degree Of anxiety over a pros
pective telegram which had failed to
arrive which led the spectator to be-
lieve that the management was some
what agitated and wished the end
would come
The miners were having a, meeting
yesterday afternoon, and this was the
information looked for.
General Manager Bancroft of the
Short Line said he did not see what
reason the men had for going out on a
strike, as they were receiving good pay
at present, and with steady work they
had some Of them were making as high
as $95 Der month.
The matter of the supply of coal for
the Short Line, in the event Of a set
tlement not being reached, was not
discussed, as there is no good reason
for believing this matter will be pro-
longed longer than today at farthest.
1t may be that an effort will be made
to frighten people with the gravity of
the situation, and cause a. scare in re-
lation to a possible rise in price. but
there will be no grounds for this, if
what was told yesterday be true, and
there is no reason for believing that
it is not.
COAL RATES SOUTH.
The Union Pacific has given notice
of a withdrawal Of all rates on coal to
Utah points south Of Santaquin. which
means that coal from its mines in the
east will not be. shipped to any points
south of that. This city and Ogden
Will not be harmed by this withdrawal
of rates, even should the same continue
which. it is believed will not be the
case. As is we'll known there is no era
of good feeling between the Short Line
and the Union Pacific. and if this
strained condition keeps I'D there viii
be serious trouble some lime in the
future
OF course the Short Line would get
the long haul if coal from Rock Springs
were delivered to it at the nearest
point on the Short Line By cancelling
rates the Union Pacific gets the benefit
of the long haul to this city. the Short
Line taking same from ogden. Besides
it is asserted that the Union Pacific
does not want to antagonize the geople
of this city and Ogden by disarranging
the rates so as to preclude their get
ting coal at the same figures, but that
they merely wish to deprive the Short
Line of the benefits of long hauls in
connection with their product
General Agent Clay said yesterday he
did not know what object his line had
in connection with the matter, and
could say nothing more of future devel-
opments until he received advices from
the east
In some quarters it is stated that the
Union Pacific does not want TO retire
from the field of competition in the
matter of selling coal. and that as soon
as an agreement can be reached a new
schedule Of rates viii be promulgated.
Some Union Pacific men contend that
the Short Line is making a strong eff
fort to get the advantage of the Union
Pacific and hold from it its pro rata
share of the proceeds which should
come from division of freight receipts,
and that this late movement is merely
retaEatory on the part of that COM
pany But the way matters stand at
present coal from the mines at Rock
Springs cannot compete with that from
the south at the rates prevailing, in
which they do not get fair division,
as they auege.