The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-03
Mr., FARLEY TALKS
OF MINERS STRIKE.
Says There is No indications of
an EARLY Conference
REFUSED COL. BUSH'S OFFER
Alabama Consolidated Was Willing to
Pay As Cents Minimum, Which Is
Reduction of 2Ia Cents Per
LONESOME History.
REFUSED COL. BUSH's OFFER


lea, last night.
80 far there has been no conference
looking to this end since the strike bs-
gan and have no idea when such action
will be taken. II taken at all.
"Of course there have been numerous
rumors regarding ne strike" continued
Mr.. Farley, when some of these reports
were brought to his attention, but yoI
will always find unfounded rumors arising
from a strike
Mr. Fairley's attention was called TO tie
report that President T. C. Bush, of the
Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron com
pany had made lne officials of the mine
workers union an independent proposition
that his company pay 45 cents a ton mini
mum. The scale proposed by the miners
calls for 471a cents minimum. The mini
mum offered by the operators was 4C
cents.
Bush's Offer.
Yes that report is true said Mr. Fair
ley. Captain Bush did make us that
proposition but it was refused Captain
Bush also wanted an increase of Ia censs
in the differential between pick and ma
chine mined coal at Lewisburg in favor of
the machines. The present differential IS
cents. We could not afford to accept
| this proposition and naturally declined it,"
Mr.. Farley intimated that the accept
ance of such proposition would commit
the miners to a reduction IN the scale OF
2h cents minimum besides the loss In the
differential and it would serve as prcee-
dent In settling with the other companies.
Besides he thought it would not be just
compensation for the work of the miners.
He also said it would be unjust to the
commercial companies, which have siga-
ed the temporary scale at minimum of
471z cents.
The Commercial Companies.
AS the commercial companies were
brought into the conversation Mr.. Fair
ley was asked concerning the basis on
which the scale was paid by these COM
panies. The scale is based on the price
of iron and as the commercial compan-
les do not sell iron many persons have
been curious to know how the price was
determined, the miners having no access
to the books of the furnace operators
while on strike.
1.-THE scale accepted by the commercial
companies is based on the price of iron
the same as the furnace operators, said
Mr.. Farley in explanation. 1T is true
we have no access to the books of the
furnace companies, but in such a con
tingency we accept the average prices
as given in the Iron Age and other relia-
BILE papers devoted to the production of
iron and steel and the general Industrial
situation.
During the past month the average
price of iron was about IS per ton, and
the miners at work for the commercial
companies consequently received Az cents
per ton in July.
There are several grades of IRON" con-
tinued Mr.. Farley, land with the ex-
ception of two an average is made of the
prevailing prices. Neither white iron
nor silver grey are taken into consid-
GRAFTON. The grade of iron known as
white is too low in price for considera-
tion and silver grey Is too high. Silver
grey is really what you might call an
accidental product. If the heat of the
furnace happens to be abnormally high
the furnacemen occasionally get a run of
this valuable grade. 1t is foundry iron.
White iron is about the same value as
scrap iron and Is of too low a grade to
make a fair average. The grades which
are figured on are Foundry l, 2, and 4,
soft l and 2, grey forge and notified"
1t was suggested to Mr.. Farley that a
rumor was prevalent to the effect that
an attempt would be made to open the
mines of the Tennessee company at Blue
Creek and give all miners, whether
union or not, an opportunity to go to
work. This rumor also said that those
who did not go to work would be noti-
fled to vacate the company houses.
Il have heard that rumor,' said Mr..
Farley, but have heard nothing from
Blue Creek or from the Tennessee COM
pany that would confirm such a report.
As to the men moving out of the houses
a notice was sent to the men to yacate
on the first of August, but this was later
recalled. as 1t was found that the men
had paid their rent for most, or possibly
all of July. My understanding of the law
is that the men must be given thirty.
days notice. At the end of that time the
sheriff must give them ter days notice
to get out, and then they have three DAYS
before they can be lawfully evicted. This
would give them forty-three days from
the first of August. I am informed that
this is the law in many other states as
well as Alabama
Past Strike.
I'm all past strikes" said Mr. Farley,
1.-THE first attempts to open up the mines
have been at Blue Creek, and l suppose
this fact is responsible for the rumor
which you mention"
Referring to past strikes, Mr.. Farley
talked Interestingly about his connection
with the famous strike of 1894. While
he had no official connection with the
union at that time, well-known operators
say that his efforts brought about set
Element of that difficulty. Mr.. Farley was
too modest to admit that his efforts af-
fected such a result, but he practically
confirmed the following story which is
well-known to the old operators:
When the strike of 1894 had reached
critical stage Henry DeBardeleben.
well known operator, made an arrange
ment with the L. & N. railroad company