Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1905-04-20
wHITwELL.


.Seeeial 10 tie Mars.
Whitwell, Tenn, April II, 1905.
Editor News: With pleasure | take
nv pen in hand to write few lines to
tho News. This is my first writing to
the News, and will do my best and
tell the truth.
Whitwell is beautiful little mining
town, which has seen better days and
better conditions in its past history
than now exist. For the last two or
three years we have had quite a nice
little town with good churches, and
Sunday school, and prayer meetings. |
remember we'll one year ago meeting
conducted by Bro Close, and 1t was a
good meeting. l thought all the good
people told their experience, talked to
sinners, and many were converted and
prayed to God, praying for one another,
and prayed for the up.building of the
town, and everybody seemed to be uni
ted as one and all served God together
We also had Mems Prayer Meeting
every Sunday evening. Now where is
it?
will try to give the cause why all
these things do not exist now. The
| last of last June the mines were shut
down~and the company said there would
be no work until further notice. In
the following November the mines
we're started up with no union, and as
all the old men were union, or most
of them. the union called meeting and
said II we work for the I. G. l. Co. we
will work as union men. AS the COM
pany would not recognize the union
there was strike declared by the Or
ganization to uphold the principles of
our organization and to stand by it as
long as we believe it to be right as in
union there is strength.
Since union men wonld not 90 to
work without recognition of the union
the company has been getting men from
other places to re-people our town with
strangers, and take our work from us
just because we are union men.
believe we have the right to organ,
ize, but there are some people in our
town that do not believe as / do for
they have worked hard against US.
That 10 why good feeling does not exist
In our churches, Sunday schools and
prayer meetings as they did one year
ago.
But God has been with us in oul
troubles for we have had plenty to ca,
and plenty to wear through the long
winter, so union men let US take fresh
courage. Let us be loyal to our organ
ization, and be firm in principle. for tbs
day will come when all will be we'll TO
us and our children that come after us.
During this strike have seen man,
heart rending scenes when the fathe
or husband has started to leave hom,
to hunt for work, and the time came t.
say goodbye to wife and babies. Thel
! the tears began to roll down the stroni
> mans cheeks, and the good wife begal
to cry. Then came the time to thy tn
mans unionism, but he looks the good
wife in the face, and says, "Gve me uu
: ionism, or give me DEATH" Boys, loo
forward to better days for we are sure t
win, for right cannot be downed always
read an article in the News fe'
days ago wherein it said that 26a ticl
cts were issued by the company, an
600 to 700 tons OF coal loaded per day
have check weighed at the mime
when there was not over 263 ticket
running, and they would load HOO
1900 tons per day with the former on
ployes.
Q In conclusion will say Union men
loyal to the organization, abide by whi
l. the officials of the union tell you, Ell
Mitchell grub until this strike is owe
:, and then go to the mines rejoicing thi
s. the union has won, and your chart'
still hangs on the wall OF the hall whel
we can meet and be brothers as unic
70 men. E. S. DUKE