The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-21
MINERS STRIKE REPORT
WHAT THE LABOR COMMISSIONERS
FOUND AT WASHINGTON.
CabeI & Co. Refuse to Accede to Min
ers' PPOpOsitiOn-State Goes as
Far as Law Permits.

county and, their efforts to tIng about an
agreement between Cabel Il co. ard the
miners formerly employed by them The
Governor and the commissioners have gone
as far as the law permits in their effort
to effect a settlement of the difficulty. The
trouble first arose over the contention Of
the miners that the company should pay for
the removal of dirt from the mines The
commissioners say that competing opera
tors have told them that the company
could not do this and put the coal on the
market at market prices. Then came the
big strike, and the two mines were idle
through it. In the meantime the operators
equipped mine No. with machines. When
the general strike was off, Cabel & Co.
made the following proposition:
we hereby offer you work in our mines
at the scale rate as settled upon, and We
will pay you for dirt the same as was paid
before the strike began. We make this Of
FER to a large number of your associates
who have hitherto been in our employ. This
offer of employment Is made upon the
condition that you notify us of its accept
ance within three days from this date, and
that you will work in pursuance of it with
IN five days. If this offer shall not be ac-
cepted, We shall not hold ourselves under
any obligations to employ you in the flu
ture, and we will proceed to procure miners
wherever and whenever we please"
This was rejected by the miners. A no.
such miners the firm desired to employ.
but twelve men who had been active in the
organization of the miners did not receive
such notices. The miners organization
voted not to go to work unless these men
were also taken back. The firm declared
that 1t did not have work enough for all,
and insisted upon its right of choice among
the men. Some of the men went back to
work and others applied but later con-
imported about seventy-fve colored miners
from Kentucky and boarded them at the
mine. Trouble was threatened and there
were one or two minor rows. Then the
commissioners took it up and the miners
made the following proposition:
"Cabel Company, operators of Mines
"Gentlemen-We, your former employees,
numbering about $50 men, are ready and
willing to go to work in Mines and
at the scale of wages that prevails at the
present time for mining in this district. The
six men whom you do not desire to re-em-
ploy are perfectly willing as individuals not
to ask for reinstatement, il 1t shall be the
cause of preventing our fellow-Workers
from again being reinstated.
However as there exist close bonds OF
good fellowship between each and every one
of our number we would ask you in all
fairness and justice to ourselves and these
men especially, and this community, TO
give them fair and impartial hearing be-
fore tribunal of noninterested citizens
who are to judge the merits OF the charges
you make against these men.
I'm settlement of the pending controversy
between your firm and your former en-
ployes regarding the dead dir. dirt, we VIII
of cents per inch per lineal yard for the
removal Of the dead dirt We further agree
to make such reductions in the yardage
compensate the company for the extra pay
on this dirt. We do this in justice to the
men that must handle this dirt.
1--WE are willing at all times to leave mat
tiers in controversy to arbitration before the
Indiana Labor Commission or any other
tribunal that we may mutually agree upon;
If the foregoing proposition be accepted 1t
shall be on the condition that our union
be not assailed or our right to belong there
to questioned, and check-on 10 remain as
heretofore"
This proposition of the miners was re-
jected and counter proposition mace py
Cabel & Co, as follows:
THAT twelve men were rejected instead
Of six; .,,,r
Twill take fifty or sixty men at once into
mine No. and as soon as we can use more
we will put in all we can use, and at mine
No. we can use twenty or twenty-five
men as soon as No. is filled.
GAS to the men who work at mine NO. 4,
If a majority request check weighman
the firm VILE Will grant 6 0ne the S0'e
I'VE will agree to furnish our men with
the best miners oil at 45 cents a. gallon,
and coal for their own use at 20 cents load
less than the regular price. We VIII take
back $50 of our former miners ana NINE
agree to pay for dead dirt"
This proposition was rejected by the min
ers. They insisted that all the leaders snould
he taken back. and pointed out the fact
that if they were put to work with the
cniored men in mine No. there would be
danger of trouble. They made counter
proposition as follows:
"Being desirous of bringing the long-pend--
ing controversy between yourselves ana
your former employees to close, we oiIer
at this time three propositions either of
which if accepted by the firm will be ralth-
fully carried out on our part
1--WE pledge ourselves IL retnstated 10 90
our work well and in the interest or the
firm We would also appeal to your better
nature asking you to reinstate an OF us
and give us an opportunity 10 prove our
fidelify This act on your part, II conceded,
will Of itself bring about on our part COM
plete reconciliation and faithful service.
1--WE would ask that the firm grant us
the privilege Of working alternate days I'M
til such time employment could De gwen
to all according to your proposition OF Iast
or sixty men att mine No. 4 within few
days and as soon as you can use more you
will put in all that can be used. ana wnen
No is filled you will place into NO mine
twenty or twenty-five men, and When va
cancie. occur at No. you will fill the same
by re-employing home men and that w WITHIN mn
sixty days from date hereof you Will put
to work $50 Of your former miners and mine
I'VE accept your offer to pay the district
I'VE also accept the reductions made us
in oil. powder, squibs and coal.
And in addition make the following prop
osition:
fore complained of on the following terms
All dirt from one to four inches no charges
will be made, dirt four to eight inches IN
thickness two cents ton extra for each ton
of coal mined and for each additional four
inches of dirt one cent ton additional.
1--WE are also willing to accept the prop
osition made by B. +. Strasser, in which
he agreed to furnish the services of three
dav men to handle the dirt, with the follow
ing modification, that instead or extra men
that would be paid for such services be
given up to be divided among those who
handle the dirt. We believe the average
thickness of dirt to be handled is twelve
| inches Taking forty rooms as basis or
| our estimate, we deduce the following cal
| culation Forty rooms, twelve inches aver
| age of dirt two cents an inch .ineal yard,
would amount to "a cents; however, as min
| ers are enabled to mine but eighteen inches
| in depth a day. this would give each man II
| cents or $3.50 for the forty rooms. AS an
| offset to the above pay for dirt, we agree
| to make the following reduction:
I'VE believe that on an average there Is
| dug each day sixteen yards or narrow
| work. entries and break throughs, and this
| work we agree to do at 81 yard instead
| of H.17, the scale price (this would amount
| ia sixteen yards at II cents, $272) and al
| lowing 40 cents a day average for room
| turning YOU would receive as an onset to
| the payment of $3.50 above stated the sum
| of $312 leaving the net cost to the firm of
| ST. 6S a hosting day..
This proposition the operators declined to
accept. They declare that the last PROPOSE
| tion win remain open but a short time ana
| they will reopen No. 4, If not with home
| men, then with labor brought from else
where
/ m