Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-11-27
STORY OF CONDITIONS IN
THE COAL MINES AT
DAWSON.
Cause OF PRESENT STRIKss
Local Labor Council Will Send
More Provisions TO
the Strikers.

llfAhblAr we tAltnl our lAAllNN A' Nl.'
Tulsa Trades and Labor Council TO-
the help extended boy them" was the
message tu the latter named oIganl2I.
tion, from T W Thompson, at their
meeting last uight. He came before
the body ana presented the follow
Ing message describing the present
conditions ut the Hickory coal mines
The labor council took no add
tioual action in the matter, but VIII
send more money ana provisions to
tho strikers II the occasion demands
A few facts leading up TO the cause
Of the strike at the Hickory coal
mines
Some time during the latter part
OF last winter Thomas king, the ha.
tional organizer for the L, NJ. w. Of
a, was requested 10y some of the
miners TO come here and organize a
local union. Fourteen miners signed
their names as charter members OF
I this local at meeting In the Hotel
Newport in Tulsa. Two-thlrds ol
these members were promptly dis
charged by Mr.. Adamson, president
/ Of the Hickory Coal & Mining Go.
/ The charter then lay dormant fur
about a month, whom one day Mr.
/ Adamson changed weigh bosses. TA"
weights of the cars which the mon
were getting nlnc and ten huniryd
pounds for were reduced to oISN and
nine hundred pounds to the car
Mote do not claim the weights
We're unjust.
/ This sent up a storm Of protest from
the men. They promptly called %
meeting, and with the exception OF d
very fow joined the union, ana de-
mauded that a check Wcighman bc al.
HN.aFH
sions with Mr.. Adamson the check
weighman was allowed them, although
the mining laws Of the state Of Okla
home In Article 2, Section ?, rcd:
Shall have the privilege, If ihey
desire, Of employing at their eSpens",
a check -weighman, who shall have
equal rights, powers and privilege IN
the weighing Of coal as the reg u!or
weighman."
Mr.. Adamson, himself asked the
district officers to come here ana
sign Il union contract with him. Mr..
T. r. Steward, president OF District
No. 81, accompanied by other Officers
OF the district. with the committee Of
the local union at Hickory, met Mr..
Adamson and Mr.. Bailey at the
/ Brady hotel. and there signed "A tenn
porary contract, recognizing an eight
hour day and the check k-off system
was agreed to; the price OF tonnage
being left to the convention at Kan
sas City.
4 Again in the month Of June, Mr.
Adamson agreed with Thomas King 70
live up to his part of the contract
after a two-days' strike
The next morning Mr.. Adalnson
posted notices that his mines WouId
close down indefinitely. After three
a.
and all the men put back 10 work,
with the exception Of the president OF
the local union, and with the promise
that he also would be put 10 work
later on. In July he was put back
to work and was allowed To Work Fix
days in that month.
In the latter part Of July Mr.. Ad-
amson signed the Inter stat" Agree
ment to take effect az No ! ana T.
the price OF tonnage still pending
The president of the local was put 10
work again at mine No. 2. lie worked
IN days in August, and was dls-
charged on the last day oI thal
month.
The men went on a strike for his
reinstatement. The board member
was sent for and an agreement was
reached with Mr. Adamson, In whlch
the president CMr. Thompson was
again put to work, pending decision
OF the commissioner and the district
president. He worked three days ana
was again discharged, and has not
been allowed TO work any since. MI.
Cunningham, now president "l tne
IU. NJ. W. Of A. met Mr.. Adamsoh IN
Tulsa twice. to try to make contract
and failing to do so. the men became
disguised and struck. ,
NO q =
ing. uo
labuses the men have to contend with
at the mines:
The company pays off semi
monthly. What they work for the
first Is days Of the month, they re
ceivc pay for the last OF the hlontii !,
one of the miners said that he asked
Mr.. Adamson for ten dollars on Fri
day night (the next day being pay
day.. Mr. Adamson gave hin the
money, and the next day took vi ou'
Of his envelope-ten per cent inter
est on his own money for - hours .
Mr.. Patterson. ColorOd miner at
Hickory. had son who was ShOt Anu
killed in a brawl last summer The
son was in debt to- Mr.. Adamson az
the company store. when Mr. Thomp-
son went to settle up with Mr.. ADAM q
son. he found his dead sons debts
charged up to him this son ueihg
man and his own boss Mr.. cunning
ham sent MIR. Thompson telegram
from Kansas City last summer, IN tho
care of the Hickory Coal & Mining
Co. Mr.. Adamson charged MIN oV
cents for this telegram, although "
was paid FOR in Kansas city
MIR. Adamson told Mr. Cunningham
that he could not get more than one
dollar and seventy-five cents ton TOT
mine-run coal; but the miners pay 81
a ton for mine-run coal, delivered 70
ltheir houses, and also pay 81 month
rent FOR A two-room box house which
is not papered The water blows
half way across these houses when "
rains -
abuses with which the men nave 20
stand. and they are determined 10
either have union conditions rom
now on. or no conditions at ulL
Accidt ntS.
Article o. section /. Mining Laws
of oklahoma: 1T shall be the duty
Of all operators to keep on hand I'm
seed oil. olive oil, bandages. linen and
such other remedial agents as may
be prescribed 10y the county board oil
health"
A shot-firer was hurt here last
winter. having his face blown iull oi
fine coal by a shot I'm one of the
mines. This man lay "a hours with
out medical attention OF any KIND. al
though Mr.. AdamsOn was 0t the
mines the time this accident hap
, naped The shot-fi lost one oi