The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-23
STRIKERS COMMITTEE
REPLIES TO Mr.. GRAVES

Salt Lake City, Feb. %.
To the Editor oI The Herald:
Mr.. VI. A. Graves, in his communi-
cation to the Herald said that
he had recently paid visit
to the town of Sccfield and had found
out how things We're IN reality in re-
gard TO the strike and striking miners
ana now that the Z. Y. Coal COMPANY.
i3f some reason, had been averse to
giving out any matter for publication
ana that he took advantage of an on
pofJunlty 10 investigate the situation
de also said that he found out that the
miners were earning before the strike
more money than skilled mechanics
IN salt Lake City and elsewhere. and
tEat the average earnings of the miners
was not less than So per day, and that
the price paid for mining the coal is
SufHcient to allow a skilful miner to
earn sou to 50 per day of eight hours
ana mat few earn less than the smaller
sum
We would say that the general pub
lac IS indeed fortunate, 10 say the least
TO nave a gentleman like Mr. Graves
who, on one visit to the scene of the
trouble IS able to find out such vast
amount of invaluable information in re-
gard 10 the strike and the striking
miners, When we find that there are
II
VINO have lived there and worked for
the p. V. Coal company for not less
imam from twelve to fifteen years who
could not give the public as much in
formation. We also believe that the p
v Coal company is very fortunate in
having in the person of Mr. w. A
Graves such a noble defender in this
very trying time which il has lust now
experienced. We all realize that both
the general public and the p. V. Coal
company surely needed such a one as
the gentleman mentioned above to give
out the situation in its true H@ht
The gentleman said that the average
earnings were not less than So day.
Mr.. w. O. Sharp, who is the general
manager Of the company, says that the
average earnings are $3.50 per day. so
You see that MIR. ". a. Graves knows
more about the situation than the gen
erai manager does.
Re also says that Mr.. Lewis Georges
earnings for the month of December
were 500, but he did not tell YOU that
TINS was the amount paid him for
81 % shifts in the month of December
50 where is Mr.. Graves average of So
IN this case? He did not mention the
tact, either, Of Mr.. George being mine
inspector of No. 4 mine of Winter Quar-
ters, and that he was paid much more
than many others who are employed
by the company IN the same place. He
did not mention the fact of the num-
Der OF men who are employed by the
company there at 81 per day. neither
did he tell YOU anything about those
poor, hardWorBing miners who make
but very little more than their eX-
penseS, ana some not that He also
said that MesSTS. Bell and Rooney had
earned big sums of money during the
same month, but he did not tell YOU
that the latter was paid for the month
of TNs.f.r .r-,1, q
Der, both combined. He did not men
ton the fact hat Mr.. Rooney was paid
$2-oO per day by the company and that
he was one of the most skilled work
men employed by the same and was
fully able, from his long experience of
thirty years in mining, TO do anything
that came along.
The gentleman did not mention the
fact of Mr.. J. c Bell having to work
for the company for days, weeks,
months and years for a mere living for
himself, wife and family. We win defy
the state Of Utah to find better miner
and a more sober. industrious and hon
est man than Mr.. Bell and yet has not
to his name a home which he can call
his own.
This is the gentleman who was re-
Gently ordered out of the house which
he rents because IL was on cOmDany's
property.
Mr. w A. Graves did not mention the
fact that the company takes back over
the counters Of its stores about 50 to
- per cent OF the earnings of the men
who have families, yea, and ali in many
cases, for there are men in every camp
owned by the company who are ever
lastingiy in debt to the company, and
we defy successful contradiction
Mr.. Graves speaks about the vast
amount of money lost by the company
and the state, but he does not tell you
OF the vast profits which it makes on
the honest toll Of its employees, both
in the mines and stores, when every
thing is running all right and that on
the 40 600 tons per week which the COM
pany has been shipping. it gains 1.200
pounds of coal per ton on the poor
miner, $50 pounds OF which they get