Gilpin observer., 1914-05-07
CONDEMNS TREATMENT
OF THE COAL MINERS

Editor of the Observer
My dear Stull:
AS a citizen of your county and
one who has the interest of the
working man at heart, being work
ing man myself for number of
years in the mines of Colorado and
know from personal experiences the
hardships and bad conditions that
exist in some of the metals mines
of the state, and if the coal mines
are in as bad condition as some of
the metal mines, God help the poor
coal miner. Every once in while
pick up the papers, l find that there
have been a number of miners kill
Der of widows and orphans to mourn
their loss. These widows and or
phans have been more or less a bur-
den on the people of the state as
well as society. All these casual
ties could more or less have been
avoided had the coal barons and
their. managers obeyed the mining
laws and not been SO greedy in pay
ing dividends.
You evidently saw in the Denver
papers where the tent colony of the
miners and their families at Lud-
low was shot up and burned with
machine guns and a number of wo-
men and children killed. Knowing
these facts as you do, l believe 1t
is your duty as editor of the OBJ
server in coming out with an article
in your paper, condemning Gov Am
mons, Rockefeller, Osgood and 9TH
ers for not conducting the situation
SO that the killing of innocent men
and women would not have occurred.
The reason l appeal to you for the
above mentioned article is that
have always found your writings here
tofore in the interest of the work
ing people. There is no use to ap-
peal to the Register-Call, paper
that is printed in your city, for the
reason that have always found that
paper on the side of the money pow
er, coal barons and gun men. l be-
lieve it is high time that the Regis
ter-Call was getting wise to the fact
that it is the working men of Gil
pin county who are furnishing the
butter for its bread.
l happened to be appointed a dele
gate to the State Mining convention
which was held in Denver last Feb
ruary. While the committees were
out, one Judge CoIburn was enter
tanning the convention with long
disgraceful speech, stating what great
things could be accomplished by this
organization; commenting Gov. Am
mons for his action taken in the
southern coal fields; also referring
to the great and noble things Pea
body did during the Cripple Creek
labor troubles. l wonder If the time
is not soon approaching when min
ing men can meet together as fel-
low men and brothers, each joining
in the interest of one another, and
for the welfare of that intent, no
one faction opposing the other. Mr..
Colburn, If he only knew what feel
ing aroused against himself in max
ing the remarks, l am sure he would
not have made them. We cannot pro-
mote any industry unless we all pull
as delegates in that convention as
well as mine owners, and II l do
say SO myself, just as good men as
Judge Colburn ever dared to be. who
port, their children to educate, and
who depended for a livelihood by
working in our metal mines.
One more little pointer to the Reg
ister-Call before l close: that is, II
it does not change its stand taken
in the interest of the coal baron and
gun men in the guise Of the state
militia, l fear it will have to rustic
its butter from some other source
than from the miners Of Gilpin coun
ty.
II 1t is not too much trouble anG
II 1t does not take too much space
IN your valuable paper. Mr.. Stull,
will consider it a favor II you will
oblige me with the required space
In your next issue.
Thanking you before hand. / an
most respectfully a friend to thu
miner as well as yourself and YOU
paper.