The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-06-29
THE COAL
STRIKE

CONTINUED from Page One

lUlAHd Mine NnfHffn OF AmeftHHf
made the following statement set
tins forth the miners position to O.
representative Of The star last
night
"Tho conditions leading up 10 the
present trouble dates back "a the
time Of the signing OF the contract
With the company Ia tho early part
Of last December. Prior ta that time
the old and Grand nudge mines Werc
operated on contract system. the
company paying the men 90 cents %
ear for mining coal
The company attempted 10
cur TINS PRICE
in the old mine and the trouble su-
sued. being finally settled by board
~ arbitration on the basis of an
agreement which says.
The minimum wage 60 miners
shall me f2t3h per day. az agreed
upon b. the board OF arbitration.
Tho taHaqunh Coal Company
agrees Co reinHtats ull ita old em-
riuyeH iu the same o. like positions
which they occupied prior Co ko-
venlher 30 as soon as practicable.
and II agrees that an the old em-
ployea shall have a preference over
newcomers after the date provided
n they are qualified aud capable "a
nli the positions for which thcy ape
rly IN the event Of uny miHunder-
standing ~ this agreement between
the iasauuab coal Company and itH
employees the matter shall De- taken
up with the superintendent b. g.
committee # employees fer adjust
mrnf they failing o. agree the mat
Ter shall be referred 60 the general
manager ct the company fer adjust
mrnt in the event OF continued
disagreement tho matter shall BE-
submitted - the state labor rum-
wisaionfr faf adjustment under the
arbitration laws n the state Of.
Warrington
Ia che closing paragraphs ~ the
agreement the company agrees not
fn discriminate aEaiuHf union and
committeeman. and the men agree 60
work to the beet - their ability for
the best Interests ~ the company.
'-fhe trouble came about con-
tinue8 President buchanan. "an the
result IN a
CHANGE ~ THE SYSTEM
of mining 1t Grand Ridge While
the old mine was placed on n day
wage Hcaie. IN accordance with the
above agreement. the Grand Ridge
mine had been continued on a con-
tract system. the company paying
60 cents q ton for mining coal.
"tutll o feu weeks nFa the high
side ~ the bottom 81 the pitch vas
blasted out 80 that the ears could
be run r. under tie edge Of the
pitch and the coal would roll da0n
into the co.'s FROM above where the
men we're working on the breasts.
The company them decided it % I
b. lmpuetieabio "a blast cut the
rock beneath the pitch. - as 20 Z
make the tap ~ the cars come en
level with the coal for the reason /
that TIE fire clay beneath she pitch I
when exposed to the air aud mala-
tufe. heaveH they buiH shoots
shove the fIoor ~ fhr pitch. and
this made u necessary for The men
working on the breasts o. throw .ae
coal un into the shoot Working for
50 ceutH car this additional work
took 80 much time that their wages
eere reduced to hardly 81 q day
Then ~ WAS We asked for either
change % system or that the COM
rauy should make up the ioss IN
wages e. the amount % the mimi
mum sale agreed upon between the
men and the company last Decem-
Der We suggested SEVERAL ways In
= hitch the difficulty might be over
come. but the company would not
listen 20 them and closed the mine
"Fof the reason that the 40 men
employed IN the Grand Ridge mine /
had IL most eases bought homes /
here and were permanent residents /
n iHaaquah. Ne asked that the men /
employed iu the old mine. - which I
there are about Zee.
SHARE THEIR WORK
nlth the Grand Ridge men until the
new properties were opened up or
other work IN other ways
An she men thraan out % work
b. the closing Of the Grand Ridge
mine were and are as competent to I
work On the t7oo-faot 1r any other
level Ia the old mine aa the men
who were employed in the old mine.
for the reason that the men work
INK IN the tao mines were trans
ferrcd back and forth. aud In al
most every instance those thrown
out Of work had been transferred
from the old mine 10 the Grand
RidFe property
The veins and earth formation IN
tho old mine on one level are the
same as on another SO that This talk
about Grand Ridge man not being
competent to work ON the t1oQ-foot
level IL an rot.
We did everything we could %
adjust the difference iu the way
provided BY our agreement taking
the matter fret Go Superintendent
Reynolds. next ga General Manager
Allen and finally 90 State Labor /
Commissioner Hiackmnn.
"Mr Blackman. after an investi- /
cation. told General Manager Allen /
that the f2.87A minimum scale ar- 4
piled IN the Grand Ridge mine as /
we'll aa IN the old mine in fact. that I
u applied IN all the mines Of the 1
and would apply 20 any /
new mines opened up.
THAT was the way Hlackman de- T
eidcd for them as Mr.. Allen says /