The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-17


for royalty from thirty to fifty cents ton, accord
ing TO the quality Of the coal, that OF the Lehigh
region being considered the best. Previous to 1920
all the coal shipments were on RATS down the Lehigh
river, but with the increasing demand for coal and
increase in mining, canals and railroads have been
built, and through these channels Of transportation
are annually transmitted TO market the many mil
lion tons quoted above The expense OF working
the mines varies very f sose ess ap0ve
farthest below requiring additional OUTLAWS for
steam pumps and other heavy and costly machinery.
cOery costs from to 800 00o and then large
sums have been invested In canals and railroads and
the base Of Locust Mountain, three-quarters OF
mile in length There are three classes OF aborers-
viz, miners, leaders and drivers and outside labor
ers. The first two classes are paid according to the
amount Of work they do, the miners earning about
SO day, and the leaders and drivers 50 day, and
each only working from six to eight hours
day. The outside aborers are paid 81 SO a day. and
were required to work ten hours day. With this
last class the strike originated, and consisted in
labor. They based their action on what Is known az
the PENNSYLVANIA Eight Hour law" passed at the
last session OF the State Legislature This law reads
as fOOws:-
On and after the Is Of July 1858 eight hour. Of labor
held to be legal days WORK In ali Of labor and service
by the day where there no contract or agreement to the
This sa shall nS app to Or farm Or as
shall be prevented anything herein contained,
from working a. many hour. overtime or extra work as he or
tween the employer and the employe.
labor which shall constitute days in this State
are hereby repealed.
Through these outside laborers striking the miners
and leaders and drivers though perfectly satisfied
with the wages they were receiving, obliged to
stop working Tnese outside laborers thus initiating
and now controlling the strike number about i've
thousand men. Most OF them are young Irshmen,
reckless, daredevil fellows.
On the 9th instant the strike began. There were
muttered whisperings and threats before this time.
The original intention was to strike on the first OF
the month, under the color OF right and
the legislative enactment quoted above. Want
OF organization and agreement upon plan Of pro-
cedure delayed, however, any overt demonstrations
until the date mentioned. AT length, when all was
ready, the tocsin OF war was sounded the flag Of de-
fance h0isted and with drums loudly beating
and the piercing fe giving martial effect TO the
scene the strikers began their work. rather ceased
work, and began compelling others to do the same.
The first strike was at place known by the sugges-
tive name OF Dark Corner, near Girardsville,
about seven miles from here. The outside
laborers at two collieries stopped work,
and with those wonderfully persuasive ar
guments, pistols and bludgeons, induced the
miners and leaders and drivers to also suspend en-
plOyment. Compelling TO fall In line they continued
their up the Mahanoy valley and soon had four
hundred In the line OF march. Pistols were furnished
O large number, but II was made military necessity
with all 10 carry budgeons Arriving here the head
quarters OF the movement the PROCESSION, with music
pistols in pockets marched up and down the
OF the town. IL was gala occasion; It was q grand
and assurances Of success, and many fell into
the ranks and very willingly In consequence. After
consultation Il was decided 70 hurry up the move
ment with all possible rapidity. Accordingly three
parties started from here, one gong TO the Lehigh
region, another to the dam PottsvilIe and the
third to Tamaqua and thence down the Schuylkill
valley They had 1t all their own way and In their
respective lines OF march stopped work at every col
ey In the whole sos region there are only
and the reason Of their working II because the own
ers of furnaces and rolling mills In the vicinity
at very heavy loss are paying the old rate Of wages
under the ten hour system for eight hours labor.
are stopped. committee eft for there yesterday to
request stoppage OF work, and II o favorable re-
Spouse Is not given the probability Is that large
and well armed delegation Of strikers will speedily
make known It's presence In that neighborhood. II
IL q foregone conclusion that within very few DAYS
region, except occasional ones to supply furnaces
and rolling mills with coal on the terms just
The operators OF the mines, II their own prefer.
ences and interests were alone consulted would pre-
fer to have the colieres closed for several weeks
The coal market is very dull and the prices such
ruled before the war, when wages and machinery
and the necessaries Of life nearly fifty per cent
is NC s Mo Of nns
suspended for time must Of necessity advance the
s o. s &c me s I 10
should not ,.S Be Understood that they favor y
UeS the eight hour system or sSor W become nes
universal throughout the State and to this they are
to large manusctcries but to their own NH nterests
They have held two or three meetings on the sub.
ject and are to hold another at this place to-day.
There 10 no LIKELIHOOD tnat they viii yield 10 the
strikers. III we have to send TO Boston for co al
for our family uses We Will not yeldD said one Of
on this point. y
have been aiming in this letter to make Q long
the operations Of the strikers This much I have
only time to say now, as the mall closes in few
minutes and that 10 that matters are looking ugly.
collIeries there would not have been As
strong aud positive ground Of objection to
them ~ H. now showing itself on their
hand. The plain fact IL they have gone beyond
their limn. they have stopped and are stopping
chanics working under the old ten hour rule A
strong spirit Of opposition II showing itself In conse.
Quence. Parties cowed into Joining them are get.
ting disguised ana rebeIli0us. Already opposition
and show OF firearms have taken place ct one or
two workshops, and there 10 talk Of stout 0ppos.
ton IN other Querter1 and OF provisions having a.
ready been made Of small arms and cannon with
which TO give the strikers warm reception should