coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

COLORADO STRIKE PRACTICALLY OVER
AND MINES ARE OPERATING ALMOST
FULL TIME.
The strike of the miners in the Southern Colorado
coal fields practically is over and mines are
operating almost 011 full time.
The Denver Chamber of Commerce and other
business men's organizations have endorsed the
action of Gov. Amnions in bis sending troops into
the mine district to preserve peace.
The convention of the State Federation of labor,
called to consider the question of a state-wide
strike, adopted resolutions condemnatory of Gov.
Amnions, but failed to call the proposed strike.
The delegates to the convention made demands
that Gov. Amnions dismiss officers of the guard,
release prisoners and abolish the military commission,
under threats of a recall petition being
circulated against him, but their demands were
refused.
The only decisive action taken during the fortnight
was that of the Las Animas county court,
who, on Dec. 20, ordered the grand jury to investigate
the strike. One military prisoner was turned
over to this court by the commanding officer of
the troops.
During the fortnight there was some firing between
troops and strikers who sought to trespass
on coal properties.
The operators announced Dec. 26 they had sufficient
men to man their mines fully and had ceased
bringing any more miners to the state. They
issued a statement outlining their position and
in it the men still on strike were told they would
not be given work after this date unless they returned
to the mines by this time.
NORFOLK AND WESTERN SHIPMENTS.
Coal and coke shipments over the Norfolk &
Western railway during the month of November,
1913, were:
Total Coal. Coke.
Pocahontas 1,191,654 93.03S
Tug River 207,976
Thacker 260,905
Kenova 91,447
Totals 1,751,982 93,OSS
Merger of the Rocky Ridge railroad and tbe
Shade Gap railroad into the East Broad Top Railroad
& Coal Co. has been approved by the shareholders
of the three companies without a dissenting
vote. The Rocky Ridge and Shade Gap railroads
are virtual branches of the East Broad Top
road, and the merger was made to simplify operation
and the keeping of accounts.
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 11
THE CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA OPERATORS
NOTIFY MINE WORKERS CONTRACTS
MUST BE LIVED UP TO.
Operating companies affiliated witli the Central
Pennsylvania Coal Operators' association, because
of 100 strikes occurring in the Central Pennsylvania
field during the year, in violation of the
wage scale, Dec. 12 sent the following letter to
the United Mine Workers' distiict officials and
fixed a limit of 10 days for a reply:
The Association of Bituminous Coal Operators
of Central Pennsylvania,
301 Betz Building,
Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 1913.
.Mr. Patrick Gilday, President,
Dist. No. 2 United Mine Workers of America,
Morrisdale Mines, Penn.
Dear Sir:—The Executive Board of the Association
of Bituminous Coal Operators of Central Pennsylvania
held a meeting here today, approved and
directed that the following communication be forwarded
to you at once:
Whereas, the Association of Bituminous Coal
Operators of Central Pennsylvania, hereinafter
called the Operators, entered into an agreement
bearing date April 20, 1912, with the United Mine
Workers of America of District No. 2, hereinafter
called the Mine Workers, for the purpose of governing
their relations as to wages, general rules
and regulations for the period of two years expiring
March 31, 1914, and
Whereas, this agreement was consummated and
entered into by the Operators on the expressed assurance
that this contract would be faithfully kept
and performed by the Mine Workers, and that the
officials of your organization guaranteed the full
performance of this contract on the part of the
Mine Workers, and
Whereas. Rules 12 and 13 of said agreement
provide, "Should differences arise between the
Operators and Mine Workers as to the meaning
of the provisions of this agreement, or about matters
not specifically mentioned in the agreement,
there shall be no suspension of work on account of
such differences, but an earnest effort be made to
settle such differences immediately. First, through
the management of the mine and the mine committee;
second the first method failing, the matter
shall be referred to the Operators' commissioner
and the Mine Workers' commissioner" and
in the event of a failure of such commissioners to
reach an agreement, then to be referred to a permanent
Board of Arbitration whose decision shall
be final, nevertheless the year 1913 has resulted
in an absolute disregard of these covenants on the
part of the Mine Workers, and
Whereas, notwitstanding the fact that Rule No.
15 provides, "the right to hire and discharge, the