The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-13
ALL is TRANQUIL
At BLUE CREEK
Miners at Johns Receive Notices
TO Vacate
STRIKERS ARE STILL FIRM
In the Meantime the Company Is Going
Ahead With Preparations to Begin.
the Mining Of Coal Regard
less of the Union.
STRIKERS ARE STILL FIRM

/ spot, where great lnuuSildi SliuSBie ~
impending. the inhabitants of the little
mining town are lolling around in the
sunshine of idleness apparently peaceful
and contented. With no daily task before
them the miners congregate around the
railway station and while awaiting the
passing of trains repeat oft told yarns
and are ready to join in a laugh at the
most trihing incident which serves to
break the monotony.
Beneath this outward calm. however,
there is a deep underground feeling of
expectancy. Everybody Is sitting still
waiting for something to happen. Every
arrival on the train is eyed with curiosity
and until his name and business is ascer-
tanned the stranger can not escape from
the constant gaze of the scores of loung-
ers around the public gathering places.
Boilers Are Fired.
A short distance away is the opening
to the main mine at Johns and around
the entrance there is the same atmos-
phere of idleness. The huge smoke stacks
have begun to show signs of life and five
men are hard at work firing the boilers,
These boilers are used for pumping water
out of the mine and are rapidly being put
in shape to begin active operations. These
| fremen are non-union men but to the
strikers are known as legs" This name
of leg" is a synonym for "scab" as is
supposed to be an abbreviation Of black
leg.
So far not ton of coal has been sent
| Of
the non-union men, there are but eleven
men at Johns ready to go to work. All
of these were brought from other places
and arrived within the last two days.
! These non-union men have not been mo-
Tested in the least since their arrival.
There are sufficient deputy sheriffs on
hand to prevent trouble If an attempt
should be made to start a difficulty.
The miners say there will be no trouble
emanating from them, and that while
they do not object to the guards all such
precautions are unnecessary.
Miners Receive Notices.
A majority of the miners here are ne
| groes and this afternoon more than
hundred of them were gathered around
the station. each holding bit Of white
paper closely clutched In his hand or con-
cealed in a convenient pocket On these
bits of paper was a notice from the Ten
nessee Coal. Iron and Railroad company
for the men to vacate the houses belong
ing to the company. According to these
notices they must vacate at once or be
moved out 1t is the purpose of the Of
| ficers to give them about twenty-four
| hours notice. If they do not move then
! suits will be begun in the name of the
company for unlawful detainer.
Yesterday seven families were evicted
from their houses, and fearing a repeti-
| ton of this the men receiving the no.
! tees today were deeply disturbed. Some
! Of them have gardens, on which they
have worked for months, while others
| have erected additions to the company
| houses in the nature of cow stalls, pig
| pens and other home comforts. They now
fear that all this will be thrown away,
and they will not again be allowed to go
on the company's property.
Woman Got Her Vegetables.
or those evicted yesterday one old wo-
| man possessed a little garden in which
she took great pride. Longing for an
other look at her vegetables and anxious
for fresh supply for the family table she
| went to the private car of J. NJ. Frank
| asked IL she might return to her gar
den.
| "Why, certainly you cam replied Mr.
Franklin. Ego ahead and get your vegeta-
bles."
With look of surprise and deep ap-
! probation the old woman went her way
and soon passed by the car on her re-
turn loaded down with the best her gar
den afforded.
President Flynn Arrives.
Ed Flynn. president of the Alabama
district Of United Mine Workers, came to
| Johns this afternoon and his presence had
very calming effect upon the strikers.
| He gave the men instructions as to what
to do in regard to the notices to vacate
| According to these instructions the miners
| are not to move until forced out by due
! process of law. The union officials say
| the company is required to give the men
| six days notice before bringing them into
| court to answer a suit of unlawful de-
tainer. In case the justice of the peace
| decides the cases against the miners II
| is probable that an appeal will be taken
| to the circuit court. 1t is most certainly
| the intention of the officers of the union
and their attorneys to fight these cases
out in the higher courts. They will have
bonds ready, In the event the cases are
decided against the miners. so that an APP
| peal can pc taken lInfneuldttlN. Inc legal
termination of these cases will serve as a
| precedent for other similar suits through
/ out the district and the question of law
will be fought out at Blue Creek. It is
expected that a strong array of attorneys
will be present for both Sides
Supply Store Established.
lust beyond the main minc at Johns on
the mountain side there is a little build
ing containing a large supply of stores
for the miners who are in need of pro-
visions. Groceries in large quantities are
being shipped to the Blue Creek region
daily by the union officials. These pro-
visions are carted from the station to the
supply store and there distributed among
the miners SO far not case of suffering
has been reported. There are about 100
white miners and about 200 negro miners
at Johns, hand to supply them and their
families fequires the expenditure of a
large amount of money. The strikers say
they are we'll supplied with funds. how
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