Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1902-04-19
A TRUE VERSION
OF The DIFFICULTY.
Actions Of The President and Vice.Pres-
ident We're Not Sanctioned By the
TOnOpah Miners Union.

The Virginia Enterprise published
the following misleading article on
Thursday morning
"A report reached this city last
night that all the mines in TOnonah
had been Shut down, owing to a strike
Of the miners The union claimed
that the wages paid miners under
the contract system was not up to
the standard of 81 IA day established
for that camp. The engineers also
quit work, as they were compelled To
work twelve hours u dav and do
blacksmith work, the latter having
been discharged. A meeting was
held Wednesday evening to try and
adjust the difficulty, but Manager
Oddie says he is unable to do any
thing until he hears from the main
officers at Philadelphia. As a result
Of the trouble, no mines are working
in the camp and it is not known when
the difficulty will be settled.
The BONANZA had intended to
make no mention whatever of the
recent difficulty that was thrust
upon the Ionopah Miners Union by
It's X-prcsident, John O'TooIe, and
the vice-president, VIM. Robinson.
but in view Of such false statements
as the above getting abroad to the
detriment of the camp, we give the
following true version Of the whole
affair
John O'Toole, who until last Tues
day was president of the Miners
Union, and VIM. Robinson, the vice
president, became embittered against
the Tonopah Company because they
could not secure employment in the
mines OF the company and from time
to time tried to make trouble for the
local management A contract was
let by the company TO sink shaft
and the contractors were assured by
the company that il they fell below
the regular wages they would be
paid at the rate of 81 30 per day
O'Toolc and Robinson, under guise of
officers OF the union, but not author
lied 10y that organization, demanded
admittauce to the mine to measure
up the work; this the local manage
lnent refused, H. no one but the EN-
ployces is allowed to enter the mines
without an order from the directors.
O'ToOe aud Robinson then stated To
Mr. OJdic "a Mr. Gum being present
at the time and repeated the CONVEX
satiun to the BONANZA EDITOR that
they would 90 down the shaft with
out his consent, and that probably
some member Of the union would be
killed, but if there was, Mr.. Oddc
and Mr.. Sicbcrt would 90 down the
canyon with rope around their
necks, These threats were made 10y
OToole and Robinson without the
consent or knowledge Of the union
which is on the most friendly terms
with the Tonopah Company, there
not being Il miner in their employ
who has single complaint to make
against tn" management O IoOle
and Robinson also tried to make
trouble with the engineers. claiming
they were working over twelve
hours, when It i, a known fact that
the engineers do not work but seven
hours Il day
The threats of O'Toole and Robin
son coming to the ears of the mem
bers Of the Miners Union, they asked
that the company close down its
works for twcnty-lOur hours, that all
members might be present at meet
ing to hear the charges of maIfea
sance in office that would be pre-
scented against the officers who had
made these threats The company
complied with the request.
A meeting of the union was held
Tuesday night and the charges pre-
ferrcd against O'Toole and Robinson.
O'Toolc then and there resigned the
presidency but Robinson deserted
his pal and refused to resign, and
two days following after getting
into a scrap ard seeing the feeling
that existed against him here-left
for greener fields.
Th~-.@t ions Of O'Toole and Robin
son we're of their own making, they
having become agitators for the pur-
pose Of creating di>cord between
the company and their employees,
and in doing so have incurred the en-
nifty of the people of Tonopah. Had
they found followers serious trouble
would have ensued, but they are now
thing of the past and we are
thankful for it, A labor agltator
should never be tolerated in a camp
where there is no existing grievance.
A new president aud vice president
will be elected at the next meeting,
and the two men who have tried to
disrupt the Tonopah Union for their
own selfish gain will soon be for
uOttpn,