Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1907-10-24
Mine SITUATION
AT WAITWELL
Attempt to Secure Union La
Dor Not Successful.
"SQUEEZES" IN MINES
CAUSE MEN TO QUIT
Where the T. c., l. & R. R.
Co. Missed a Good Chance
to Get Disturbed Condi-
tions Settled.

The effort to introduce union men
into the mines of the 7. c., l. q R.
r. Co. at Whitwell, is being watched
with interest, not only by the nonun-
ion men working there, but also by the
union men, who still hold to the strike
idea and the union sympathizers in
general.
Week before last it was announced
by certain union men, who has been
out as agents to see how many union
men would report for work, that
eighty would go back in the mines,
but developments showed that not
nearly as many reported and of those
who did go to work, some have al
ready quit, for reasons which will ap
pear later in this article. Of these
agents, one who has been especially
active in soliciting men, was refused
work, his tools being marked mis-
sent by the mine foreman in charge.
TOO MANY "SQUEEZES. "
The reason why the men left after
being given work is as follows, taken
principally from the testimony of one
Scharn Thomas, as reported to us. The
mines have been run largely to
tsqueezes," or places, where the
coal is very thin, and man cannot
dig it and make any money. When
squeeze is reached a non-union miner
almost invariably abandons it for
more profitable place. By digging
through these squeezes good working
bodies Of coal are found, but miner
can make nothing going through them,
and sometimes it is done at loss
Consequently the number of squeezes
in the Whitwell mines have largely
increased on account of being aband
oned when they should have been
worked through, and the company is
up against it in this direction. These
squeezes must be worked out or the
mines shut down, and big effort is
now being made to get the union men
back in But at this point lies the
rub: The union men are unwilling to
take up work on entrys of this class,
where abandoned by the non union
men, and it is very doubtful if many
can be induced to stay. When put in
good or fair places several are still at
work, but the squeeze feature is dis
heartening to those put at work in
them, and they are throwing up their
jobs.
On the other hand, if they were PUT
on to good jobs, it would cause crit
cism from the nonunion men, who do
not look at their re-admittance to the
mines to work with any too much fav-
or, so it is reported
THE TURNING POINT.
The exact turning point on which
the T. G. l. q r. r. Co. should have
inaugurated this move, was when the
effort was made by Pat Cary and other
officials of the Mine Workers organiza-
tion to declare the strike off provided
work would be furnished the union
men. This, however, was denied
them by Mr. Carter, of So. Pittsburg,
general superintendent, who is report
ed to have declared he would promise
them nothing. If he had come out
openly and said that if the strike was
declared off, he would ensure the un
ion men work, everything would have
been rushing today, and the mines
L hnv-n 1Nor, 4,1v linn thpir fI1
output of coal. This was the rea
turning point in the matter, which hai
been in controversy in Whitwell fol
nearly three years, lacking only abou
culated the men grew distrustful les
they should declare the strike off ant
still have no work. Consequently whel
the advisers for removing the strik
won by a majority of one vote, is t.
10. in a poorly advertised call meeting
those who wished the strike to remail
on turned out in force at the next reg
ular meeting and refused to approv
the minutes of the call meeting.
STRIKE STILL ON.
Thus the strike was not taken on
and remains as strong in effect toda,
as ever it did. The charter still re
mains in the town. and can not be TAX
en- away as long as FIVE members han
together and it is apt to remain 81
for many years as the members are no
liable for dues as long as the strike re
mains existant, and even John Mitchell
has no power 10 eau it of The mem
bers Of Local 2si alone can do So
There is no disposition by those VIII
f,vor strike to harass ar find farlt wit
&. .s. .t sir order ..u have ",ls &