Amador ledger., 1903-04-17

On the one hand it is claimed, that
Jackson hereafter is bound to be a
union town, and that it is better to
bow to the enevitable, and look around
to see if there be not some common
ground upon which the two interests
may meet and settle the difference.
The matter of hours is the great
stumbling block with the miners.
Scores of men went out on this score,
who would not have quit If this issue
had not been raised.
On the other hand, the matter of
submitting to the demands of any Or
ganization on this question is serious
matter to the mine owners. Altogether
the situation is dubious. Business of
all kinds is practically at a standstill,
in sympathy with the mines. Unless
promptly settled the situation will be
come more critical as time goes by.
The presence of 500 or 600 idle men is
source of danger in itself. 1t must
be said that those at the head of the
strike movement, are, by advice and
example, doing all they can to prevent
breaches of the peace. 1t is hoped
that they will be able to keep their
forces in control 20 the end.
WEDNESDAY.
In this crisis events have followed
each other with startling rapidity
Wednesday morning brought develop
ments OF ominous import. First came
the report that the South Eureka had
decided to quit, allowing the mine to fill
with water. This property has strug-
gled along for fourteen years. Its
shaft has been driven down twenty
three hundred feet, with exploration
drifts and crosscuts in every direction,
in the hope of developing a paying
mine. The prospecting in progress
when the strike was declared revealed
an ore-body of better grade. Stock
holders we're encouraged. Now, their
hope has been turned to despair. To
face labor troubles in the teeth of long
years of unremunerative outlay, was
more than the company felt justified in
enduring. So a complete shut down
has been ordered. AS the works of the
South Eureka are connected with those
of the Central Eureka, it is doubtful
whether the two mines can be drained
through the one shaft of the latter
mine. A burden is thereby thrown
upon the Central Eureka-a dividend
paying mine-which it is entirely un-
prepared to assume, adding materially
to the difficulty of the situation.
Next came the report that N. Z.
Williams and other carpenters on their
way to work at the east shaft of the
Kennedy had been met by a body of
strikers and turned back. Also, that
Eb Brown, engineer at the Kennedy
old shaft, had been stopped on his way
home from shift, and intimidated, re-
sulting in stopping the hosting of
water, and preparations for closing the
shaft, This news, although not sur
prising to many, struck the community
as thunder clap. 1t meant the begin
ming of the end. 1t appears that
mob OF strikers, about sixty in num-
ber, stopped Williams and others. M.
W. Moor was spokesman. In the case
of Brown, he met ten or twelve union
men strung out along the Kennedy
grade. He was on horseback, as his
home is near Scottsville, and he rides
to and from his work. He was asked
to join the union, and refused. Then
he was told not to go to work; that
that would serve them as we'll as be-
coming member. Finally he was in
formed that it would be better for him
not to return to his work. Coming in
this way he naturally interpreted the
language in the nature of threats. He
rode back to the Kennedy Office and
reported what had occurred. Told the
superintendent that he would rather
throw up his job than have to run the
risk of violence in the distance of sew
eral miles that he had to traverse in
riding to and fro. Mr.. Smith, the
superintendent, said he could not
blame him for feeling that way; that it
was not necessary to report for work
in the evening as he had received word
from the officers to plank down the
shaft. He was honorably discharged.
Men were sent down the mine to gather
up the tools to that end.
At the Oneida mine the managers
resolved to make a determined effort
to continue work. A substantial fence
inclosed both mine and mill, also
boarding and sleeping houses. Super
intendent Hampton told the employees
he would keep them on the grounds
and protect them while there. Under
this arrangement he secured some
twenty-five men. He had a man
posted to keep out intruders. We'd
nesday afternoon he came to town to
warn the strike leaders to keep off the
grounds; that if any effort was made
to interfere with the men inside there
would be trouble. Nevertheless large
body of strikers moved in that direc-
tiop toward evening. They separated
into smaller squads, and took in points
at the Kennedy on the way. Superin-
tendent Hampton was aware of the
move Shariff Norman and Qenntu