Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1904-07-21
UNCLE Joe CORRECTED.
WuitwelI, Tenn, July IS, 1904

Wuitwell, Tenn, July Is, 1904.
Editor News:
Please allow me space in your paper
TO correct some statements made by
Uncle Joe from this place. While be
says he is one OF che boys at Whitwell
1t seems strange that he would make
such misleading statements to the read
ers of the News and the public at large
in regard TO the situation at Whitwell.
You will notice that in his letter of the
l4th he says we are all idle. That is
true. Again be says Suppose we are
all idle four months and at the end of
that time we get to go to work at the
old wages or wages of last contract"
Again Uncle Joe says that he is satish-
cd that the company would settle on
less reduction than they at first offered,
By this Uncle Joe, take it means to
have it appear to the public that the
miners OF Whitwell and Tracy City
have been offered price or a chance to
make settlement Such statement
going out to the people at large is mis-
leading Up to this date the company
here has never made any offer at all,
either at reduction or any other way.
The company here and at Tracy City on
June 3OLh closed down their mines and
since that time there has been no meet
ing in the way Of making settlement
at this place.
Again Uncle Joe wants to know why
there is no money in our loca treasury
OF the U. M. of A. and what goes with
80 much money. | will say right here
that we have quite sum Of money on
hand Ut this time in our local treasury,
good deal more than he might think.
The only reason he has for not knowing
these conditions is because he never
comes out to our local meetings. He
says he is tired Of such management.
Ifso why don't he turn out to our
meetings and try to change the manage
ment and thereby better conditions?
Again he says we pay on an average
OF about So 90 year to support the
order. In this he is about right, Now,
Uncle joe, will you not just come out
and say how much your wages have
advanced since we have been organized?
Is it not fact that your wages have
been raised about so cents a day or at
least $40 90 month where you work a
full month? Now then, are you not
willing to pay $1,000 year when you
have been receiving about $1,000 a
month? Where is your kick coming in
at?
Now then take the drivers. Before
we were organized they only got 9C
cents day. Now they get .$1.19 cents
a day at the lowest price paid under
our scale, 29-cents day advance
But even with our scale of prices it is q
well-known fact the Whitwell and Ira
cy City miners and laborers have been
working far below any other scale il
this state for tho same kind of work
This don't look much like contrarines,
on our part.
l hope that Uncle Joe when he write.
about the situation at Whitwell will
give US his true name and not 60 be
hind the stump any more and | trul.
nope that no one during this shut dowr
will try to tear up or damage any pro
perty whatever.
Some people may think we are out OIL
strike but such is not the case. Tht
mines are only shut down and the com
pany have not told US any thing abou
whether they wanted to work or not
can only hope that when we do IN ee
that we will be able to make contract
that will be fair to all parties and re
tain oar friendly terms that have beel
so pleasant to us all in the past years
, Yours fraternaly,
PAT CARY,
District Board Member, Dist No 10, [
NJ, w. of A.