Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-05-05
COAL MINERS STRIKE.


idle today How long this condition
will last no one can tell. but 1t is
hoped IT will be OF short Duration
Until last evening nothing was
known that a strike WIS Intended. II
win be remembered that month
ago meetings we're held In Durango
for the purpose OF discussing raise.
but no action was taken. owing to
the absence from the city Of some
Of the operators. the matter being de
ferrod one month. AS near as we
have been able TO ascertain, no de
mand was made on any OF the com
panies for n new wage scale or time
of employment. In the case at Por-
ter the men did not go to work this
morning and Foreman Mason was at
the mine until nine O'Clock aud not
demand made At that hour Mr..
Mason came to Durango nd then
demand was made on the assistant
foreman. but the full nature of the
demand has not been made public
OF at least We could not obtain same
at two O'Clock
At 2 O'Clock no demand had been
made upon the City coal mine man
sgement, according 10 office employees.
About 2:3G representative called
on Mr. Franklin OF the Boston compa-
ny. and he said no official notice had
been served on his company concern
lng the demands Of the miners. and
ma every man inside and outside the
mine made from 81 to Sc day the
company was not willing to concede
to the demands.
J. T. Gehr, member Of the National
Executive board United Mine Work
ers OF America. arrived in the city
this morning To n representative
Of the Herald he recomnted the nego-
tintions that were undertaken
month ago. nnd that notice had been
served on tho managers and mine op-
orators at that time that In case no
agreement could be arrived al be
fore the FIRST Of MAY the miners would
handle it themselves Mr.. Gehr
said The tonnage rates for min
Ing arc lower than In most parts OF
district No lS considering the sizes
of veins being mined. that the prices
of the neccssarien Of life are higher
on tho western slope than through,
ont the eastern and southern portions
Of Colorado The United Mine Work.
ots at the present time are simply
acting along the same lines that have
brought about success In other parts
and in other coal fields We wjsh
10 meet with our employers and. n
possible gain yearly contracts signed
hv both parties and have prices for
coal and for wages 40 established
that the danger OF strikes will he
entirely done away with. The Unit.
cd Mine Workers Of America go on
strike only ms last resort Where
employers will NEE, with MS we en-.
dsavor TO at all times bring about
agreements Of friendly nature by
concilintion and arbitration There
II no bitterness shown by either EN-
ployers or employees toward each 9th
cr on account OF the SUSPENSION OF
work IN the mlnea of this neld- Hav-
Inv failed 80 gnin an agreement at
I the conference that was held one
month ago. the miners were forced
/ 10 take the inintive bur hope In a
D NNfNN' 'lfNt 10 w NHlt W 1NtfN Win
their employers and arrange matters
satisfactorily for n years time. 49,
Mr. Gehr said the miners at Mo.
nero were working but the men might
be called out In n dav or two
The scale talked Of two months ago
was In substance as follows.
Inside work for eight hours three
dollars Moncro. toonago. seventy
Ave cents. Porter. scyeuty.hvc cents,
Hcsperus. seventy. City nd Cham
pion seventy Ave for coal measure Of
/ two aud half feet a nd eighty for
under that thickness. Boston. sixty
two. and an advance OF ten per cent
on yprdnge The scale provided for
two pay days month Outside work
not less than two and half day
Eight hours In all cases TO constitute
days work Miners not allowed to
go In any mine on their idle time or
lny on days to prepare ground for
I digging
Everything Is quiet In coal strike
mattcrs today In fact there is
nothing to do at present j. A. Por
ter IN IN Denver. whoro he arrived
this morning Mr Porter was not
expecting the miners conference con
/ yoning until May 10th, 80 under
standing Mr. $. L Herr. manager
OF the company. is In California, but
we understand leaves San Francisco
today en- route home Until these
gentlemen are able to meet and dis
cuss the matter. II is not likely that
any action will be taken, and the min
"rs will have an opportunity of rest
/ ing up at least ten days
J. II, Crist. manager OF the Mo
nero mines arrived in the city last
might TO attend the conference OF the
operators and miners as per adjourn
ment a month ago having no Idea
/ that the men We're to be called out
before an opportunity was given to
arrange matters amicably when he
/ left Monero the men were working as
usual but this morning received n
wire that yesterday afternoon Mr.
Gehr had wired the men to take
/ few days lay on, and Mr. Crist took
/ the ton o'clock train for home to ar,
range for closing down the property
aud cutting on all expense While
Mr. Crist had no general statement