Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-16
LOCKOUT THAT FAILED.
Miners Win Notable Victory From
Union Pacific.
RIGHT tJRIUMPHS OVER MIGHT
DIsehaysed For Forming Union, tho
Mine Workers of Rock Springs, Wyo-
A'Ssptod tho Gage of 3attlc-Fisht
Zoo Unionism Brief and Orderly.

t<oU Uniorism Brief and Orderly.
n group of obscure miners In Rock
Springs. Wyo., have bluffed out the
Union Pacific railroad and the Central
Coal and Coke company and formed Il
union OF the United Mine Workers of
America with four locals in the town.
They forced the owners OF the mines
TO recognize them. The organization
was accomplished without violence. IN
spite OF lockout from two TO three
weeks, and IN II manner that should
serve as model TO future organizers.
Rock Springs Is typical mining
town. Saloons flourish under such
names MS El Dorado, Omaha. Bon Ton
Columbus and Senate; gambling Of all
sorts-fnntan, poker. roulette and
horse rncing--is rife. But when the
crisis came n committee of miners
went to the county attorney and de-
mnndcd that nll gambling should Ike
suspended In Rock Springs for tho dur
alton OF the lockout. For three weeks
the lid was on In Rock Springs. al-
though Green River and Rawlins. the
adjacent towns on either side on the
Union Pacific line. rnn wide open.
There had been no union In Rock
Springs for more than thirty years,
since 1870. when n tough lot of miners
were associated In a sort of union
which broke up on account of the very
character of the men OF whom It was
composed. Thomas Fnhy. miner mt
Rock Springs. began TO agitatc the for
nation of n union early last May. lie
WINS soon Joined by Thomas Gibson.
the present president; james Morgan
and t. Purcell. I'LL OF them miners
with strong views upon organization.
On May 81 they were organized ana
held their first public meeting. On
May 30 they were locked out.
AS the mule drivers cnme up in turn
to Il. l.. Gridlcy. general superintcnd-
cnt of the Central Coal and Coke COM
pany at Swcctwatcr. four miles from
Rock Springs. aud ID. o. Clark. general
superintendent of tho Union Pacific
ono was asked:
slave you Joined the unionw
The affirmative reply came in ten
different languages. for Rock Springs
is p0lyglot town. but 1t wns practi-
cally unanimous.
"Go home, then; we don't want you"
Rock Springs supplies not only tho
best conl burned on the Union Pacific,
but II IL nlso its main source OF supply.
The company tried to break the strike
by importing labor. The net importa-
lions were Ave Cinnamon, two negroes
and Greek Ono OF the negroes dis
nnnnura1 nj thn Af H., 0t-.t 1ox
and the half dozen men who were
left were not sufficient to supply the
Union Pacific system with coal. There
wns no violence on tho part OF the
discharged miners.
AT the end OF week bills were
posted about the town promising NIL
the miners who would go back to work
by Monday. June 3. 10 per cent In
crease, but refusing to recognize the
union. On Monday, June 9. the mines
remained closed down. BY the end OF
another week the coal situation on
tho Union Pacific was critical Traf-
ilc was blocked by the fact that the
drafts Of the locomotives were not
fixed for the Illinois coal which they
We're attempting TO burn and are still
using on the line east OF Cheyenne.
and the lives OF the train dispatchers
wene positively logarithmic in efforts
to,decipher n solution OF the problem
They had TO hive that Rock Springs
coal, and on June 10 the miners not
only received their 10 per cent increase
In wages. but went back to work with
their fight for recognition won. The
| Central Coke and Coal company hold
out at Sweetwater for another week,
but Mt the end OF that time they. too.
recognized tho union. General Super
intendent ID. O. Clark OF the Union
Pacific has since resigned
Consequently there arc now four To-
calls of tho United Mine Workers of
America In Rock Springs-local No.
2203. which consists OF the miners In
Union Pacific mines Nos. 8 and 10; a
local which consists OF the miners In
Union Pacific mines No. / and local
No. 22S2. which consists OF tho mincr,
Ia the Central Coal and Coke company
mine No. 2 mt Sweetwater. The out.
put Of all these mines is about 200 car
loads. or 1900 tons, day, and prnc-
| tically nll Of the Union Pacific coal
Is consumed west of Cheyenne and on
tho Hartman western lines, the Ore
gon Short Line and Southern Pacific
as fast ms 1t is mined, so there Is little
chance TO store up conl for expected
famine next winter along the line. The
Union Pacific also has mines Mt Hanna,
Wyo.. but tho grade OF coal there Ia
not so good as that at Rock Springs.
The membership OF the four new To-
Gals amounts TO about 800 men.
pooLL;.I. Alta ,,,