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

still holds good. So far several com
munications have appeared and W,
leave II to the public If they have moi
shown a deplorable weakness In logic
and argument For the same reason
that we offered space at the beginning
OF the trouble. we give synopsis OF
the meeting yesterday. taken down by
our stenographer. who was instructed
to furnish the gist of what was said
Space will not permit of all that Mr..
Gehr said. and he also talked too fast
TO get every word. but the main points
at issue are given. Mr.. Gehr roasted
Durango papers and made several
statements that cannot be attributed
to The Herald, and he should have the
courage to deal fairly and suuarely.
He is at librty TO mention The Her
aid when discussing the situation. InI
reply to the statement of Mr. McCon-
nell that he had been unable to learn
of any grievances the miners had. Mr..
Gchr said Durango papers had refused
to publish the communications pre-
pared by the miners. So far AS The
Herald is concerned the statement is
false, as we have not declined to pub
lish a single article handed in As to
the Democrat we cannot state. but the
day after the miners met AT the court
house statement was published In
the Democrat purporting to he the
miners side of the trouble. although
Il was not officially signed. except bv
committee. This statement was not
Il Ia.1 I
lished in circular form from the Dem.
ocrat Office and circulated bv the
miners about town This statement
was read bv Mr. Mcconnell and 9th.
ers at the time and still Mr.. McCon.
nell stated he was not able to ascer.
this we voice "a out OF every 95. In
his statements YESTERDAY Mr.. Gohr
"ave ont nothing now. cvcent tbe
miners wanted on Increase in tbo
scale. His assertions that the in
orCase1 cost of livino demanded this
20 not horno ont nv the facts ne was
~howr in vosterdnv's paner. rrvesH
eat'on win show that Tho HereId,s
stntooente Yesterday were based nm
Facts We mioht 20 on and mention
7verv live of business Livery men
make no additional charge over
oar . % althou@b their evppnses have
'ouhleA ov-ino to high nrice NJ feed
Fnr0iture and house furnishings are
"heaper than vonr or two AGO Board
IN no hioher althourh tho boarding
house nronrietor has he'd TO nav some
''o"N for his sunplies In fact. out.
"ido nf p fow articles which alwovs
Huctuate the hue and crv Of high
0"'ces Do not hold rood Freieht rates
ave less than some wears a"o and mer.
7hants are sollinr closer on staples
Mud now to the main noint and that
to conditions ne oomnared TO other dis
tricts Personallv we cannot assert
that DURANGO district IS the best paid
labor hut FROM circumstances we bn.
lieve so We have heretofore given
nrices nrevaiinR Mt other points and
s"d that WAGES are lower for ten
houre thon IN Durnr"o for eight hours
h"t the real point Is this: Here in
nuran"o men are maid cash allowed
20 hoard whore thev pleaec and buv
H'lf' INV UIHNN. FNTTlTlp Inh most
for their money A big lot of extra
men are not kept for the purpose Of
furnishing half employment and tie
La Plata coal miner is able to lay by
money. How about the places men
toned by Mr. Gehr. Every last one
where any number of men are en-
ployed are compelled to trade at com
pany stores-that is, compelled to in
this way, by being kept In debt.
Granting the men In some large veins
make a trifie more money they are
rot given steady work, only allowed
70 average about so much per week,
thus keeping large number of men
bout the mine who are necessarily
Ompelled to buy of the company store
or board at the company boarding
house, with the result that at the end
or the month the meu are generally
in debt, instead of having clear money
Here in La Plata county the men.
those who are at all diligent, have
money laid aside, and when pay day
comes, a neat wad to do with as they
pleasc AS stated Yesterday good
miners who are put to work on mar
-ow veins and cannot make SO a day,
the same is made up to them, this be-
ing left to the discretion of the fore
man and those working on time are
paid So for eight hours.
rhe whole thing resolves itself down
10 the statement of Mr.. Carter yester-
day, that the miners demand that the
operators sign an agreement for six
months guaranteeing to pay So per
lay. Here are Mr.. Carter's words:
The miners agree to work for
So day, providing the mine own.
ers agree TO pay this for six
months and give employment to
the old men"
Mr.. Garter said the above PROPOSE
tion was held to for several days and
then at the meeting the new scale
was demanded, We ask II any com
nany of operators would want 10 sign
such an agreement? The proposition
allied for the taking back of the old
men. 1t meant 10 take back men
whether worth one dollar. two dollars
nr four dollars per day. True, on the
outside the leaders say the men would
be expected to earn 80 but there is
nothing in the provision to this effect,