Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-11-20
Conditions in All the Camps Of the Territory as
Set Forth By Competent Visitor
AGITAToR DOES LITTLE AT Los CERRILLOs
No Danger Of Strike In Gallup and Carkvile Captain and
Carthage Busy. The Northern Camps

Nothing is Of greater interest to
the people Of New Mexico just now
than the coal strike. 1t seems to be
q fact that in the majority OF the
mines Of the territory nearly as many
miners as usual are working. Not
withstanding, the output Of coal has
been curtailed, and the dealers are
unable to secure a single carload. The
Las Vegas dealers, .apprehensiye Of
the conditions that might ensue, Sc
cured as much coal as possible before
the strike order was given. They are
able to supply the trade OF the city
for time and have not raised prices.
Many citizens also have been fore
handed and have laid in enough coal
to last the winter. 1t seems likely,
however, that before the questions at
issue are settled. the prices Of coal
will 60 up and stay up until the car
bon has become plentiful again. As
in the majority Of large strikes. 1t Is
the innocent people who suffer most
and who pay the bills.
1t seems likely that within q few
days the number Or workmen in the
Willow Creek mines will Be IA large
as ever. They will not, however. be
experienced miners. and the mines
can't, for time. produce as much
coal. Another big bunch Of men went
up yesterday. Those who went to the
mlnss Arst wrote hack 70 theirtfrienda
that the work wss, easy, the sltuatioh
secure, and the pay good.
A correspondent Of the New Mexi,
can who visited all the camps t(sup'
posed to be no less q person that
Coal Mine Inspector Joe e. Sheridanl
has furnished q full and, he says. &C
curate. statement Of conditions up ia
Tuesday last. The writer is evidently
strongly in sympathy with the opera
tors, but the article is by far the
most comprehensive that has been
made public. He says. ~fiting from
Gallup:
"In view OF the many misleading
statements that are going the rounds
aof the press in regard to the strike
situation in the coal fields Of New
Mexico. your correspondent deems IL
itimely and pertinent 10 furnish YOU
with a positively accurate statement
,Of the condition existing In the coal
mines Of this territory.
Commencing with the coal mines Of
Madrid In Santa Fe county. We find
that the larger OF the two mines oper
ated in this camp, the soft coal mine
or "Cerrillos Bituminous," as II ID
called, Is working with full force Of
az men underground.
In the "Cerill0s Anthracite where
the usual number Of diggers is about
q, there are only six miners at work.
showing loss OF % men. mostly Ital
ians. The company men are all Al
work This data Is up to last night
The men all say they have no griev'
ances nor demands to make and arc
well satisfied to continue working Il
let alone and not interfered with by
agitatorR.
On Saturday evening last an agi
tator named Mcdonald from La Sale
Illinois, arrived at Los cerillos. com
ing for the purpose Of prganiziag the
miners in opposition 70 the company
and to procure the suspension OF work
upon the Madrid mines but thus Gar
he has been unsuccessful. having
been able to influence very few. 4
any, except the Italians who had q.
ready quit. or who had been discharg
ed, as one OF them had been discharg.
ed on the first Of the month for going
into the mine while drunk, and he,
with few others Of his ilk, had help.
ed foment trouble among the other
Italian miners.
How long must the people Of the
United States put up with such con.
ditions? That : man from the state
Of Illinois Is allowed to CONS here 70
a distant territory and attempt 10 pas.
slyss business conditions by incitins
men 10 suspsnd the prosscutlus q