Amador ledger., 1903-05-01
THE BIG STRIKE OVER
Both Sides Satisfied - Mines Getting
Into Running Order Again.

The big strike came to an end Fri.
day night. At that time a special
meeting of Jackson Union was held. II
was evident throughout the day that
important business was on hand. NJ
w. Moor, of the Western Federation,
had visited Paloma during the day,
and the superintendents of all the
mines had also had meeting during
the day. From these things, it was
surmised that the special meeting was
called to consider some proposition
toward ending the struggle. AS soon
as the members gathered in their hall,
David Mcclure, superintendent of the
Gwin mine, was invited to make state
ment in behalf of the mine owners, en-
bodying what they were disposed to
grant. He discussed at some length
the points in dispute, and thereafter
presented the following propositions in
writing as the final stand of the mine
owners:
~ No discrimination against union
men as such.
(9) Substitution of nine hours for
what is now ten hours underground
with same rate of wages.
Explanatory:-Said shift to begin
when first. men start down from collar
of shaft, and to end when first men,
start up shaft from station after Quit
ting work, with time taken for lunch
| added. In other words, time required
to get to work and time to get to sta
tiOn after work to be on companies
time, and time required to get out of
shaft at end of shift and to eat lunch
on mems time.
81 That reinstatement be left to the
discretion of the mine management.
(4 Union not to be recognized.
Mr.. Mcclure, after making his state
ment, withdrew, and the union deliber-
ated over the matter. The discussion,
however, was brief, and in short time
he was informed by M. W. Moor
that his proposition had been accepted,
and the strike had been called off. 1t
was getting along toward midnight
when the result was known. The
union men showed their qualification
oyer the cpd Of the eontroyersy by
rounds of cheers, and every body seemed
happy that the termination came as
soon as it did, without that serious
disturbance of business conditions
which prolongatiou of the conflict
was bound to bring about
The terms of settlement regarding
the working hours are so plainly stated
that it is hardly possible that they can
be misunderstood. The new system
means a substitution of nine working
hours in the place of ten. In other
words concession by the superintend-
ents of one full hour in. working time.
The miners, however, while they fully
understand the language, claim that it
means II hours less per day to them.
So that under these circumstances, the
reformed time table gives the utmost
satisfaction to the men, and at the
same time comedies o reduction OF the
working hours underground which had
long before the strike been under seri-
GUS consideration of the mine managers.
1t is confidently expected that the
mines will lose nothing by the change.
That the same amount of work will be
done in nine hours that has heretofore
been done in ten with the same num-
ber of men, Indeed the men them
selves are not backward in saying that
they will show by actual results that
the nine hour day will be saving all
round.
Sunday afternoon the union miners
had a grand parade in commemoration
of the settlement. 1t was distinctly
understood that it was not designed as
a glorification on their part over the
outcome. 1t was not in the spirit of
exultatiQn, but simply an orderly turn
out to express the general feeling of re-
lief over the ending of the trouble.
The procession started from the hall
on Court street, headed by the Jackson
band. BY actual count the parade
numbered little over 800. In front of
the Central hotel halt was called,
and addresses made from the balcony.
w. D. Guilds as president of the Jack
son organization introduced the speak
ers. Brief addresses were made by DR..
Lonigo, r. c. Bole and r. Tadich, the
latter addressing them in English,
italian and Austrian.
Monday morning the Zeila mine re-
sumed work. Several days must elapse
before a. full force is put on. The Ken
nedy will take several days to drain
the mine and get in fix to employ full
complement OF men. The new mill
was started Monday on ore from the
dump. There is plenty of this on hand
to keep the mill going for some time.
AS might be anticipated some dis
seusion at once arose in setting the new
time schedule into operation. AT the
Kennedy and Oneida, the time allowed
for dinner did not suit some. These
mines pursued the same course in this
respect that was in vogue before the
strike namely one hour for dinner.
The miners, or some of them, wanted
half an hour, and to eat underground
This would reduce the work day half
an hour. Another bone Of contention
arose in relation to few men WI no were
not taken back to work. Although