The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-11-27
To Relieve Them From a
State of Want.
THE PRESENT CAR SHORTAGE
Has Deprived Them of Work
Petition Referred TO
Commission.
THE SITUATION DEPLORABLE

Frankfort. Ky, Nov. 25.-In an
|, appeal to Gov. McCreary. miners OF
the West Kentucky coal fields de-
) clare they are in a state of want,
and ask that railroads be required
to furnish the mines more cars so
that they can work full time. Gov.
McCreary Immediately turned the
petition over to the State Railroad
Commission, and the officials of the
Illinois Central and the miners have
been informed by the commission
that the petition will be considered
at a meeting here December 4.
The petition is from McHenry.
Ohio county, and the signers say
that they represent the miners and
their families, numbering about s.
600 souls. They say they have av-
eraged only SO in wages apiece for
the last month, following eighteen
months partial idleness, during
which time they have averaged only
about twelve days work each
month.
The petition follows:
We, the representatives of the
miners of Ohio county, Kentucky,
and their families, to the number of
about 5000, do hereby attempt to
set forth the conditions prevailing
in this, Ohio county.
First, the mining business
has for many months been very
! dull, and, consequently. the miners
have averaged, approximately, about
twelve working days per month for
about eighteen months. This is
getting worse; gradually we are
drifting into state of want, for up
to the present date, viz, November
10, the average earnings of these
men are, at some of the mines, as
low as SO for this month. There
fore it is within the bounds of rea-
son that We state that our people
are on the verge of suffering.
Taking into consideration the
high cost of the necessaries to sus-
tain life; also the cost of rent and
coal, We believe that any reasona-
bly, informed person will UNDER
stand that by the long time of slow
work, and now almost a shutdown, |
the people cannot possibly be in
any other than very much straiten-
ed circumstances, and that these
conditions exist in the midst of |
plenty. Therefore, we, through and |
by the authority of the people we
represent, do hereby try to lay the
condition of our people before you,
the Chief Executive of Kentucky.
I'VE also try to lay before you
some of the reasons for this state
of affairs. We, as representatives
of the people, have appealed to our
employers, the operators and own
ers of the several mines, and in ev-
cry instance they state to us that |
they can give us almost steady work
If they could get the railroad cars
to ship the product of the mines.
They assure US that they can get
contracts of sale for a large amount
and some of them have contracts,
Mat, IL they could get railroad cars,
would give some of the mines work
every day. These same mines have
only worked something like four
days in two weeks. They, the oper-
ators, tell US that the people are
begging for coal and they cannot
furnish it on account of the rail
road companies failing to provide
cars for the shipment of their coal,
thereby depriving both operators
and miners of the State of Ken
lucky Of the benefits that 1t would
be possible to enjoy owing to the
bountiful crops and the general
prosperity of the country.
Therefore, we do pray that
through you. our Chief Executive,
there be an investigation by the
proper authorities of the State of
Kentucky and the Commission OF
Interstate Commerce. so that we
may be able to feed, clothe and shell
ter our families and educate our
children, and that the people of the
non-coal-producing communities of
Kentucky may be supplied with
coal. OF which. according to all re-
ports. they are very. much in, need"
The petition is signed by R. G,
Vance, L. e. Herrell. ]. T. Main,
Charles W, Mulliken, G.. P. Wester-
field. G. w. Mcfarland and, A, T.
Davis. s.ly. h