Amador ledger., 1903-11-27
THE SOUTH EUREKA STRIKE.

The following notice has been posted
up in jackson and Sutter Creek, and
other points in the county. The notice
bears no date:
Miners Take Notice. You are here.
by notified that the South Eureka
mine has been declared unfair by the
Sutter Miners Union, 1873, w. F. of M,
and you are requested to keep away.
Strike is now on. A. G. Malatasta,
Secretary; j. Pengelly, Pres.
No effort has been made by the COM
pany to resume underground opera
tions. The mill is running, and there
is rock on hand to keep it going for
another week or more. The engineers,
who are members of the American Fed
GRAFTON. are at work, keeping the prop
erty free from water. How long they
will be kept at work will depend upon
the working of the Central Eureka to
keep the South Eur. ha drained. This
is where the seriousness of the PROPOSE
tion comes in.
The correct story of how the strike
was brought about is given about as
follows, and differs from the accounts
heretofore published. 1t seems that
the skip tender is required to send up
water during the lunch hour. The
foreman, r. Mounter, noticed on the
day of the difficulty, that this was not
done, and upon speaking to the skip
tender about it, received a reply that
caused him to discharge him then and
there. A few minutes thereafter, on
his return from some other duty, Mr..
Mounter found that water was being
sent up, and inquired who was doing it.
He found that the skip tender had re-
sumed work, Notwithstanding his being
notified to get his time. Thereupon,
he had to maintain his authority by
insisting upon his quitting. This
brought on the discharge of two others.
The union took up the matter, and
wanted to know the reasons, resulting
in all the men being called out.
We understand the Sutter Creek
Union gave the company until We'd
nesday last to reinstate these men.
The company, we are told, refuses to
comply. 1t stands firm upon the prop
osition of it's right to discharge with
out giving reasons therefor. 1t is not
to be assumed that an employe would
be discharged without reason: still it
is not advisable at all times to state the
reason. So the matter stands at present.
The kink in the ca BILE, and the refusal of
the men to be lowered in the compart-
ment where this cable was used, we're
incidents in the trouble. There were
also one or two other grounds of COM
plant by the men, but the main cause
that led up to the shutdown was as
above stated
The employees version of the Incl
dents leading up to the strike is some
what different. Several things out
side of the discharge of the skip-tender
are brought in. 1t is said that the re-
instatement of the skip-tendcr is not,
and was not, requested, but only the
other two men who interceded in his
behalf at the time, aud were discharged
by the superintendent. 1t was iu be-
half of these that the union took up
the matter, claiming that there was no
sufficient reason for their dismissal
Other side matters are also brought in
as grievances. 1t is feared in some
quarters that the trouble may spread
and involve other mines in this Sec
tion. This may come in two ways,
either from a sympathetic action on
the part of the union employees of the
other mines, or the mine owners.
On Wednesday the strike situatio n
shifted somewhat. In the afternoon of
that day, we are reliably Informed, the
president of Sutter Creek Union, w.
F. NJ, called on Superintendent Geo.
w NlOOiO3 dU UlS OlllCc, duu SbdGOu
the men were ready to return to work
Attached to this information was a
statement to the effect that the COM
pany would be expected to deal with
the union hereafter and not directly
with the employees. To this PROPOSE
tion the superintendent replied that he
would do nothing of the kind; that the
three discharged men would not be
taken back in any event. Also that all
the men on strike might consider them
selves discharged. If they desired re-
employment. they must make applica-
tion in their capacity as individuals and
not otherwise. This is how the matter
stood at last reports. 1t is hoped that
the trouble will be settled, and the
mine be placed on a working basis
again.
New Safe at Amador Bank.
A new fire proof safe has been in