The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-17
UNREASONABLE STAND
OF |. ". ". AG|TATORS
Demand That LabOrers on Rail
road Contract Shall Receive
Miners Scale.
Special to The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune.
GOLDFIELD, New, May 16-The
bulletin board, III front Of the Miners
Union hall, displays warning to union
men to keep away from the grading
camp on the Clark railroad near
Thorpe, on account Of strike being on.
AS matter of fact there is a strike
in the camp, but it is such small
affair that other than suspendlng opera
tions for a time is not one TO be given
serious consid deration. a number Of
agitators went down to the grading
camp last Monday and demanded that
the men organize union and that
union rules hereafter govern the camp.
A few men, out of a total of $50
acceded to the demands of the men
with guns, and a union was organized
on the spot.
Those who had taken membership
were ordered out and the majority of
the men were told to suspend work
until they were ordered to resume, The
men who did the work, 1T is claimed,
displayed, as credentials, a card in the
[. W, w, Miners Department. The de-
mand was made of the Deal Bros, and
Mendenhall, and was for $3.50 per day
and board, instead of $3.50 and board.
\ conference has been arranged for
between President Brown, of the Min
ers union, and Mr.. Whittemer, repre-
senting the Clark railroad. Whittemer
stated that this conference was not to
treat with, the strikers, but rather to
learn to what extent the Miners I'm
ion was interested in the strike. Mil
letZ, secretary of the Miners Union,
said that the union was in no way re-
sponsible for the strike, and had only
taken the matter up as arbitrators.
Settled at Rhyohte.
At Rhyollte the same question came
UP and the Bonanza union at that place
quickly adjusted the difference by dis
claiming any authority in the premises,
and held that the men could not rightly
be considered rockmen. and that they
were working on a special line of work
that In no way conflicts with the rights
of the Miners Union, or any other
class Of labor. and that the pay was
sufficient.
The men employed on the road bed
are simply laborers, not skilled me-
chanics, and have been engaged in this
class Of work for a long time. They
have never been affiliated with n labor
organization, for their working gives
them no permanent place of abode. 1t
is held by the contractors that if they
had been paving inadequate wages, or
had not furnished good food for the
men, then there would be reason for a
strike; but in this case, only few men
were in the union and now demand that
the others be guided by them.
The men are still in camp and will
be put to work tomorrow, or Just as
soon as the responsibility of this ac"
tion has been placed. The contractors,
when they accepted the contract, did so
on a basis Of certain stipend per yard
for earth. and slow work and the con-
would pay for labor, Under the demand
made, they say that they cannot con
tinue tho work.
1t is expected that the road will he
running into Goldfield by the middle
of August, and not later than Septem-
Der ], unless further labor troubles en-
sue Arrangements are now being made
for ground for terminal purposes here.
having already been perfected at Tono-
pah