The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-09
THE COAL MINERS REBELLION.

/
sschuyikill Region--The Outlaws Or
ganiEed--They sts 20 the Coliieries and
/ Flood the Mines-GOvernmen Supplies
| OF Coal stoppcd-The Military of Phiin-
deiphia Gu Up to Suppress the Insui rec
| tfon--Appearanc nee OF Matters and IN uses
! OF the Trouble, &C., 80.
OCR PHILADELPHIA CORRESPONDENCE.
| PHILADELPHIA, May 3, 1861.
have just returned from the OF hos!ities in
| Schuylkil county. having accompanied tho military OF
this city th,thsr. Since my return upwards or two
hundred add ona troops have bsen ordered to Miners
vile, and also battery OF how,tzers, making In all
about four hundred soldiers, fully supplied with sixty
charges each. ana food for indefinite period. Four
other companies in the Quilted States service connected
with Colonel Vim H. Yeaton's regiment Of militia, are
! under arms and awaiting orders to move.
1t possible that the fears OF the county authorities
and of tbs mine have magnnod this difficulty
but evident that the mutineers arc numerous. de-
termined and well armed and only need tho will 10 make
a long and vigorous defence.
The iculty of annual In the mining
disrcts OF Pennsylvania but it before reached its
present proportions. 1t arises from tho tyranny or
mining capitalists regards both the amount OF wages
paid to the operatives and the manner In which such
wages doled out.
Probably equal amount Of wrstchedness 10 remarked
Of other class but the coal miners this STATE The
amount Of wages paid to miners is about FIVE dollars
per week and this most generally is not paid In cask but
10 "orders upon sorekeopers In the employment OF the
mining companies. The operatives In this way only
receive patry pay, but they swndIed by the capital
lists, and compelled to take merchandise at tho capital
lists rate 50 that they barely obtain the necessares
Of life.
In the spring OF tho year the schuyMi canal and It's
branches open navigation. and there Is corresponding
rise IN the price OF coal Great quantities mined in
for
an advance OF hire, which they have usually obtained.
This demand for advance takes the form OF "striko.
when operations are temporarily suspended until the
kind Is entered into.
grand SCALE and taking advantage OF the absence OF all
military Organizations from the couty the operatives
proceedcdto their demands by force. They
the cosries OF the Forest Company (now
controlled by Now York capitasts, interdc,ed all
poyes from working under threat Of death, and by put
ting out the fires at the coierss stopped tho pumps
that cleared the mines OF water, whereby they were
soon flooded
The sheriff Of Schuylkill county found that no could
make arrests apd that he could not posse OF
citizens 70 assist him the sympahes Of the mass being
ings at Forrestvile Hockevle Thomaston and other
points and mado 10 organize general strike
throughout tho whole coal region Tho fsw that insisted
upon working at the old rates roughly handled the
contractors and agents Of the mincownsrs were threat
ened with loss Of life and property they maintained
in force assert the law and the pnglsader
The latter had organized tho strike cunnngly and
mas INN .lrs u0on Inc golfers q one
ompoye appeared whore he could be recognized In this
way the officers yet basd as TO the whereabouts
the ringicaders. About fifteen hundred were num-
bsred in the primary offensive measures. and their
bers said to be increasing The locality where hos
es commenced s noted for the turbulence OF Its doni
Gems, murders and riots being frequent occurrences
there and ignorance and drunkenness being character
Doubtless the grinding restrictions Of capitalists have
80 degraded the people, but at the timo the mine
owners assert that TO pay moro for mining coal would be
80 Nhn- sOtar
Of eight persons have existed upon three dollars week.
and obliged out Of this sum TO buy their oil and pay
rent.
However much tho strikers were to be commisserated
their proceedings left the law option but
force, aud the Governor called upon General Patterson
(of Harpsrs Ferry fame) to deputize certain
men to quell the riot. Your correspondent pro-
coded with these 70 MinsrsvlIe on Wednesday
odd Fellows Hall, and waited quietly until after mid.
night whom the people Of the town were fast asleep
Then s.ealthy they moved out toward Forrsstvs tho
infected district with loaded muskcts and set bayones
and this morning had mounted guard all the col
hsries to the great astonishment Of the mutneers.
Tho ats Or are fierce and threaten TO retaks the mines
rode among them at dawn to-day, aud they seemed
unanimous Is 70 their grievances asserting that they
meant 10 abolish the "order" system and to secure
equal and definite for their services SO that they
would be out OF the roach Of want. The Sheriff. mean
Sa sas oa 20 @ and me rein
turs II difficulties occur they will BE- Of serious cha
racer a. the miners are embtsred By the presence Of
soldiers and they all armed with their favorite
tain rides Many OF them wore in tho three months
SERVICE and have the elements OF military discipline
among thsm They nearly all IRISH IL did not appear
TO to-day that any immediate breach would be occa-
stoned but the telegraph may dsveops later intel
ligsnce The advance demanded 10 twenty i've per
day for aborers and ten CENTS per wagon Of coal Tor
miners.
The Forest Improvement Company Is working mainly
upon government orders, ana the demanded are
paid the capitalists say that they fulfil the con-
tracts which name certain amount OF money per ton.
The damage 70 the mines has bsou' considerable.
The DImculty Settled.
PoEnvnIl, Pa, May Q, 1851.
The diculty 10 oil settled, and the troops viii return
70 Phadslphia In the morning. The employers agreed
70 nav the advance demanded.