The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-04

CHEF00 LIAR Is
AT ZElGLER, I'LL.
Sensational Reports From Lett
er's Town Prove UnfoUnded.
TROUBLE WITH THE MINERS
MEN STRUCK ON ACCOUNT OF
LOADING MACHINE.
TROUBLE WITH THE MINERS

Duquoin. Ills, Dec. 3.-After several
months Of labor trouble at the Letter
mines in the town of Zeigier, during
which many reports Of active skirm-
fishing have emanated from the rival
camps, the situation at Zeigler is one
o. the most peculiar in the history OF
recent labor disagreements.
It is stated by disinterested persons
living near Zeigler that firing has been
heard every night for several weeks
at the stockade surrounding the mines,
and pump house, several miles from the
town.
After a thorough investigation, how
ever, staff correspondents of ST. Louis
newspapers declare they have not been
able TO find any marks of bullets either
on the stockade or at the pump house.
Reports sent out from surrounding
towns that miners and strikers have
been wounded have proved, upon in
VCstigatiOn to be unfounded.
From the latest authentic reports there
are about twenty-five men encamped
about four miles from Zeigler- In the
town there are about eighty miners,
eighty-five militia men and forty
deputy marshals. including both state
and federal officers.
Letters MODEL Town
The trouble originated after the
shafts had been sunk in the mines.
Joseph Letter more than a year ago
acquired several thousand acres of
coal land, and before beginning active
mining built what has been termed
the model town of Zeigler." He
brought more than a hundred labor
ers and miners into the town. and the
nF cfo
auspiciously inaugurated.
The wage agreement with the miners
remained in force until coal veins were
reached and the active work Of bring
ing the product of the mine to the sur
face and shipping it TO market was be-
gun.
Mr.. Letter, in keeping with the plans
which he had adopted when he entered
the mining field. determined to have
only the latest and most improved min
ing machinery in use at the Zeigler
mine.
Among the mechanical adjuhcts en-
ployed was a steam loading device
which Mr.. Letter asserted was capable
of loading a stated number of tons per
hour
Representatives of the miners union
examined the loading machine and
differed with Mr.. Letter regarding the
amount of work that could be accom-
r1ished in a given period.
Trouble Over Machine.
As the men were to be paid by piece
work this was a vital matter, and
upon the loading machine is said TO
have hinged all the trouble that has
followed.
Mr.. Letters wage proposition was re-
jected by the union miners. After the
expiration of the time given by the
union for a revision Of the proposed
wage scale the union men left Zeigler
and formed what has proved 10 be a
permanent camp. about four miles dis
t2nt from the town.
Immediately UPON the establishment
of the union miners camp reports of
clashes between the union men and
men employed by Letter to take their
places began 10 emanare from various
sources. Several trains carrying non
union men to the mines were fired upon
from ambush, but there was nothing
to absolutely connect the striking
miners with the occurrences.
Although generally termed 'strik-
eTs." the officials of the union author
lied to speak for the men declare that
they are not on a strike They say that
Mr.. Letter offered a wage scale to
which they could not agree. and so they
left the mines. They also deny all
knowledge of the alleged attacks on the
town OF Zeigier, and while admitting
that they have attempted to persuade
the miners to leave the employ of
Letter they declare that no violence
has been used.