The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-07
Men Hold Mass Meeting al Johns and Decide
 Not to Work
PRESIDENT DON M BACON
 MAKES 4 STATEMENT
Explains Reason Why Tennessee Go. Cannot Comply With Miners De- mands-Directors In New York
 Endorse His Action.

All of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company's forty-two or three hundred mine workers were idle yester- day. The men in the Pratt division and West Pratt were ordered out by District President Ed Flynn a week or more ago, and those in the Blue Creek and Blocton divisions were ordered by Flynn not to work on Monday, October 6.
 The Tennessee company had intended to operate the Blue Creek mines yester- day with such men as might decline to obey the strike order, but it was not known by the company until Monday came that a mass meeting was to be held on that date. The meeting took place at Johns. It had the right of way and Gen. eral Superintendent Franklin of the Ten nessee company, who was on the ground, made no effort to turn wheel.
 Of the 900 United Mine Workers on the Tennessee companys rolls in the Blue Creek division, nearly 800 attended the mass meeting. National Board Member w. R. Farley and President Flynn ad- dressed the meeting.
 During the afternoon reports reached Birmingham that a strike resolution was carried by bare majority. On the ar- rival here of MT. Fairley and MT. Flynn, however, a different report was given out. MT. Fairley said that of the 75O or 800 men who attended the meeting at Johns, all except three-two coIored men and one whlte man-voted for a strike.
 Cause of Strike.
 The strike grows out of the demand of the Alabama executive board of the United Mine Workers on the operators here to deduct s1 week from all mem bers of the organization in this district for the relief Of the anthracite strikers and of the Tennessee company's refusal to make the deduction except on signed orders. All of the operators, including the Tennessee company, were willing to make the deductions on the proper war rants but the corporations took a posi- tive stand that it would be a violation of the contract between the United Mine Workers and the operators association signed last July if they deducted without the warrants
 Thus far only the Tennessee company's men have been ordered out. It is not be- lieved that the other corporations will be affected, at least within the present week.
 The distribution of the Tennessee com pany's miners in Alabama is as fololws: Pratt division, 210O West Pratt. 400; Bloc ton division, 700 or 800; Blue Creek divi- sion, 900; Gambles, Walker county, about 100.
 President Bacon and President Me- crery of the Tennessee company being in New York, no official statement was giv- en out at the company's headquarters in the Woodward building. but it is known to be the intention of General Superin- Creek mines-Sumter. Johns and Adger, today if any men report for work.
 Mr. Bacon's Statement.
 A special from New York to The Age Herald last night says:
 After a full meeting of the board of directors of the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad company, the following state ment with reference to the companys labor troubles in Alabama was given out by President Bacon:
 ''It has been the custom Of the mine op- orators in the Birmingham district for several years past or about the first of July of each year to make contract with the representatives of the United Mine Workers of Alabama, fixing the terms of employment of coal miners for the ensuing year.
 Pursuant to this custom, on July Il, 1902 the association of operators in the Birmingham district executed a contract with the representatives of the United Mine Workers of Alabama, which, by it's terms, was to remain In force until June ho nd Railroad company. as a member of the association of operators, was a party to this contract.
 Although the strike in the anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania had been ln force for many weeks at the time this contract was executed, the contract con- tained no provision referring to the an- thracite strike or to contributions for the benefit of the anthracite strikers from the Alabama miners.
 Under the contract of July Il. 1902 the old scale of prices, rules and reg11la tions were continued in force with certain ad- ditons set out in the contract, in no wise relating or referring to the anthracite strike or collections in connection there with The old rules and regulations re- ferred to in the contract of July II, 1902. in force between the Tennessee Coal. Iron and Railroad company and it's coal min ers contain no reference to collections to be made by the company from the miners for any purpose except the expenses of the representatives of the miners to be regulated and paid by them. Such ex- pense to be fixed by the committee at so much per miner, whose name appears on the roll and to be collected by the com pany, and turned over to the committee
 Should Be No Strike.
 "After the execution of the contract between the representatives of the min- CTS and the association of operators of | July il, 1902 it was determined by the "A United Mine workers of America, as a l result of their Indianapolis convention. kthat a general strike of the bituminous lcoal miners should not be ordered for the reason as stated by MT. Mitchell in \. his speech at the Indianapolis convention. hat the bituminous miners had in many H pses contracts with their employers and