Amador ledger., 1906-08-17
TROUBLE AT KENNEDY.
Men Refuse to Go Down Until Safe
ties are Provided for Skip. 49,. :,

commotion raised at the Kennedy
mine. when at the time for changing
shifts, about one hundred of the day
hands refused to go to work. The
reason assigned was that the company
had been given notice some time back
that safety clutches must be provided,
to stop the skip automatically in case
of accident, also that a bonnet be
provided over the skip, to protect
the men against falling rocks, etc.,
and guard rail. 1t is claimed that
the men allowed the company six
weeks time in which to make these
necessary improvements tor the safety
for the hands. That the notice ex-
being done, the hand refused to go
to work. The strikers are nearly all
Italians, and members of the socialist
party, which attempted a parade
in jackson some months ago. These
men held meeting in Odd Fellows
hall Sunday night, which eveptuated
in the above stated actions. 1t was
anticipated that this decisive step by
them, would be conceded in and
approved by the other miners. But
in this they were mistaken. The
union miners refused to accept their
dictation, and went to work as usual.
The work force, however, was shorn
of two-thIrds of It's strength, there
being only about 80 men at work
Monday, when the full force requires
at least three times that number.
A talk with the miners shows that
the demands of the men for the pro-
tective appliances, IN the way of
clutches, guards, and bonnet are
reasonable, and should be complied
with. The Kennedy Company has
been working on these things, but
wished to avoid any cessation in mill
ing if possible. The clutches have
been on the ground for long time,
but the necessary changes to hosting
apparatus IN putting them in place
would entail two or three days sus-
pension of shaft operations. The
foreman and super intendant had no
idea of the move until the blow fell.
rhe strikers after a little parleying
in the expectation that all hands
would join them in the movement,
finding that this part of the program
was destined to fail, left the premises
at the request of the mine officials.
From general talk on tie streets it
appears that the issue is between the
non union and union element en-
ployed in the Kennedy mine. Those
belonging to the socialist are mostly |
not identified with the union. The |
miners union, while in sympathy |
with the request for the protective |
appliances, could not sanction the |
act of these men. Nothing had been |
done in the union with regard thereto,
and they looked upon the strike as
an effort to force them into a second |
airy or subordinate position. They |
refused to be coerced in that way. A |
large number uf the quitters applied |
Monday to pay up their back dues,
and be 1einstated in the union, but |
many were not allowed to do so.
Meanwhile the Kennedy Company
took steps to have the safety clutches
put on the skips at once. 1t was pro,
missed that in two OF three days at
most this cause of complaint would
be removed. What the outcome of
this affair will be is a problem that
time alone can solve.
g. V. Colt was here on Tuesday and
authorized by the Union Construction
Company, operating near ValIecito in
Calaveras county to engage 100 men
to go to work at that point. He
made overtures to the strikers to
that end. At first they hesitated to
accept, as they did not know, as they
said, that they we're discharged. AS
matter of fact the time of 10 at
least was in the Office at that time
1t is believed that the men, to the
number of 100, will accept the pro-
position. The wages offered is 81 %
per day the same pay as they have
been getting at the mine.
After being notified by the company
to take their belongings from the
boarding house by o'clock Tuesday
evening, the exodus started in earnest.
Valises, trunks and blankets were
packed to different places around
town. In the afternoon another meet
| ing was held in the hall, for what
purpose we do not know. In the
evening the boys got imbibing freely,
and somewhat boisterons. Trouble
threatened to break out several times
and the officers were on the scene to
meet any emergency. Nothing serious
occurred. Thursday morning they
commenced to leave town in wagon
loads. Some accepted the offer to
work for the Union Construction
Company in CalaveIas county. Most
of them have left for other parts
The incident is closed. In a short
time the Kennedy will again be
placed on full working basis.
From later reports we learn that Mr.
Colt was able to secure eight or ten
of the men for the work in Calaveras.
The agitators have nearly all left,
most Of them going to San Francisco,