Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-11-11 | Page 4 | Says Union Heads Forced Strike in Wyoming Fields

SAYS UNION HEADS FORCED STRIKE IN WYOMING FIELDS Difficulties betw-een 5000 striking coal miners and the mine owners In the southwestern district of Wyoming could have been overcome, allowing the mines I to continue in operation, had it not been for the Ins stence of. union heads that the men strike, is the opinion prevalent in that district, according to T. Hunter Salmon, mayor of K em merer. Wyo., who Is stopping at the Hotel Utah for a few days. "The strike situation In the neighborhood neighbor-hood of Kemmerer has progressed thus far with perfect order and It Is believed the strike will continue to Its end without with-out trouble," said Mr. Salmon. He added : "There Is a remote possibility that in view of the amicable feeling exist. ex-ist. ng m the district that an effort may be made to gain consent of union heads lo allow th-? miners to go back to work, regardless of action elsewhere." iMin era In the south western part of Wvom!ne a re all union men and the mines were completely shut down when LAO strike order was issued. The miners In this district have been perfect y Hji t -Isfled with conditions under which they have been working, according to Mr. Salmon, Sal-mon, and there has not been a strike In that Immedlute territory for the last ten years. Mr. Salmon stated that this condition was due to th'; fact that the men were working under two-yi ar contracts, At the time the strike Wftf ordered, exist -iiiir rout ract i bad Just ekplred a nd new ones were not signed because of the Uncertainty of tho coal situation. Kemmerer Is the Oregon Short Line Shipping center for the mines In aouih-went aouih-went em Wyoming and In Its Imtned la 1 1 vicinity there are twelve mines operated by i nu L'ri'Oii J 'u rifle railroad, tho Dla-rrioridv'lle Dla-rrioridv'lle Coal (U ''ode company, a subsidiary sub-sidiary of the Standard ( il rornpan v, find the Kemmerer COS.1 company. Ac- trdlng to Mr. Salmmi, f here bus nOt been ;i carload of coal shipped from Km-merr Km-merr SflMSS 'be strike was called, where .formerly three and four tralnload a day were leaving In competition with southern (;tab mines the southwestern Wyoming m fv-supply fv-supply with OM I the si ji t SI or idfcnOi Washington. Oregon, Vymilng and parts of Utah. A yet no coal shortage l felt In this terr'tory and In view of the fact that the (.'tab mines continue to oper SVte i i'm i e Is thOtlght Mkely by opera i oir in the sou tn western district SjOCoftflng t" Mr, Salmon.