Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-05-29

py was not sought by myself. | an
an American citizen. and when dut,
calls me to certain place, | am goins
to do the best | can. On the 2oth o
March | received word that the mel
were on strike. | ordered them to Sc
back. One-third were taken back a
So day. As members OF the Miners
union. we are bound to protect on'
another from harm. Could one-thirt
work and allow the other two-thirdi
to be left out? They advised us tha
the men should be taken back. W.
feel that this proposition has not beer
some OF our best miners will b'
thrown out. You have heard oul
proposition. We were willing to tax,
SO day If they would give the ole
miners the preference. We have triet
every means in our power to make 8
peaceful settlement Why nave the
miners started to raise wages at the
present time? you ask The prices OF
the commodities of life have risen
enormously We have asked that the
law in Colorado should be complied
with in regard to the 1000 pound ton
We have asked that the men should
receive their wages semi-monthly
Ask the boys If | brought them out
on the strike. or If they came out OF
their own free will? They have ask.
ed me to stay here and bring about a
peaceful settlement or a better one
The miners give every evidence that
they. want to he peaceful law-abidinG
citizens. There have been no threats
no trouble. The men who built your
town have a greater interest in this
affair than | have. | am a member OF
the organization that is trying to
improve the condition of the miners.
Coal miners are looked upon as on a
level with the brutes. They do not
spend their money for drink and gam
bling. They are Just as law-abiding as
any citizen We ask our merchants
their price and have to pay what they
say. Haven't we the same right to
place a price on our labor? 1t is all
we have to sell. We have had to serve
an apprenticeship; rs per cent of the
miners were placed In the mines be
fore they were fourteen years of age.
We have served long apprenticeship.
The union is trying to better the CON
1tion of the miner We don't want
him ground down. We gave thirty
days notice of the strike. The opera
tors took advantage of this. and
worked the men j to 16 hours a day.
and now have the coal stacked up for
use. while the miners are idle
enough to last them for three months
ask the miners the question, whether
have stated the truth or not"
Mr.. Mcconnell then asked for a
statement of the difference in prices
offered by the operators and asked by
the men, and said that he was going to
10 all in his power to get the miners
and operators to come to an under
standing.
Mr.. Gehr replied. THAT the op-
orators wouldn't sign the agreement
because they wanted the men to come
scattering back, so they could take
whom they wished, but the miners
would not scatter and help to starve
each other. The miners will live up
to their agreements"
There was considerable more said
on both sides, but nothing except what
has already been published. Mr.
Gehr told what the miners were re
eeiving in Fremont. El Paso, Weld
county and Boulder and said that La
Plata county miners are not receiving
much, as the veins here are narrower
and lower than in those places, and
The men cannot turn out so much
coal. Also that conditions have
hanged for the worse in the last few
ears, and mining in this section is
low harder ON account of the narrow
n veins The proper way, he said,
70 mine coal is by the tonnage, and the
price paid on the ton should be in
creased.
Several of the business men spoke
a turn on the subject, among them
being Mr.. w. G. White. Mr. Stein and
Mr.. Hood. They said that If some ar
ticles of consumption are higher in
price at the present time than has
been the case in the past, others are
'bNti, lnuS IndhluS IL SbOu DdldHtt.
Prices are fuctuating, and in few
nonths may decrease as rapidly as
hey have risen. IF the miners re-
ceive more pay now that prices are
high. will they agree to work for less
when they become lower again?"
At the conclusion Mr.. Eldredge said
hat he had received a good deal of
enlightenment as to the condition of
affairs. but did not see that they had
made any plans for settlement. He
then proposed that a committee of five
business men should be chosen, Mr..
Mcconnell to be one of them. and to
name the other four who would dis
cuss matters with both the operators
and tho miners, and take measures to
bring the two factions together as
speedily and favorably as possible for
the adjustment of affairs The motion
was made and seconded, and the meet
ing adjourned.
Committee at Work.