The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-03
THE COAL RE-
lion.


peeulative fnanciers, Ho intelligent, reasoning
observer Of the existing status of affairs in the
Pennsylvania Coal Region, can question the
Importance OF the present crisis in LuEerne ana
SchuYlkll Counties, 1t has been said OF olo
that all men pos Iessed of sufficient capacity 70
rank distinctly ely above the brute creatlon'
were, TO great er or less extent, natural
Happening 20 have made 1t my BUSINESS
during my ojourn in the Coal Region 10 see anu
commune with not only the ieadlhg ulslIlseI-
Psted ope rators but with the specially nuuen-
tial leaC Isrs of the malcontent STRIKERS"
have ce rtainly found that however widely their
prems es might differ, the conclusions OF their
syllog .isms were precisely similar. Listening TO
the Snhtcting arguments on the labor question
OF u le employers and the employees, one cannot
he, % being struck by the unanimity with which,
in the midst of an apparent temporary lull, they
rniversally predict most serious coming storm
'Fbe temporary "strike" of two weeks ago is
hooked upon only as distant murmurlng, indi-
eatiye of coming thunder, and l think | risk
little in predicting, within ten days time, the
most serious difficulty Of The last FIVE years.
This morning your correspondent was shown
m call for a meeting of the more influential ope
rators of Luzerne county, to be held on Monday
evening at the Wyoming Hotel, Scranton.
Until that meeting has been held, shall not
attempt TO send you anything like lengthy
newsletter, but scrawl you Off few lines,
without any attempt at either elaborate com.
position or definite news predictions.
This morning the bumpers and other worEmen
employed at the Wilkesbarre Office OF the Balti.
more (sometmes called the Union) Coal CON-
pany, "struck' for twenty per cent. advance on
their present wages. These works are among the
most extensive in the State and it is feared thai
the employees at the outer mines have also
struck. I have just left the office of Mr..
Iippincott, the chief authority of the Company,
but he not having returned from the
aforesaid mines, it is impossible to inform
YOU definitely as 10 matters there al the time of
forwarding the present dispatches, the book
keepers not being adequately posted. The large
Fuller mines are IN operation this morning, but
the men are in a discontented condition, and
threatening to revolt if the bad influences of
the Schuylkin county delegates are again
brought to bear upon them.
The history of the late strike will really form,
with its yeritable incidents and anecdotes, alike
humorous and tragic, most interesting news
paper chapter; and as soon as the operators
shall have decided, by their action at their
Scranton meeting on Monday, whether or not
the movement is to be continued, will send
YOU down q thoroughly uuIutuIiC udTrdIlVe Ol
the whole movement together with general
resume of the mining operations OF the Wyo-
ming Valley. In this region, where Democracy
reipns rampant and votes have to be secured
indenendently of the preservation of order, it is
so rarely that any energetic attempts are made
10 restore peace and quiet, that it is impossible,
when discomfort reigns, to predict what "a day
or an hour will bring forth"
Speaking of Democracy, or rather Of party
politics in general, 1t may not be uninteresting
70 note the present political situation, which Is
creating an interest second only to Strikes
The nominations for Congress and the State
Senate are shortly to be made, and most lively
competition has been aroused. Judge Wood
wards majority at the last election, in the
Twelfth Congressional District, which comprises
Luzerne and Susquehanna counties, was only
five hundred and forty-fve over Ketchum,
and the Republicans are confident, with q
Sudicious choice, Of defeating the Judge this
year. despite the celebrated cofee-colored
naturalization papers," so laVlshly ground out
at the Prothonotary's Office. 1t is certainly a
good sign that there should be such an active
contest for the Republican nomination The
leading aspirants are Garrick Mallery Harding,
a leading lawyer of Wilkesbarre Theodore
Strong, merchant OF Pittston, and brother oi
Judge Strong of the Supreme Court, George
Corey. q merchant of Scranton, and john
Handley, a lawyer of the same place. Mr.. Hand
ley was, during the war, strong Democrats
and had some connection with the Provost
Marshal's office, but is now for Grant and Col
fax, Harding will be nominated if he enters
actively into the canvass For the Democratic
nomination Judge Woodward will be opposed
by Ralph B. Little, of Montrose, delegate to
The late New York Convention.
The Senatorial District, comprising Luzerne
county, is now represented by Lazarus d. Shoe
maker (Republlcau), of Wilkesbarre, who Qt is
said) Will not be candidate for reelection. In
such an event, Hon. @. A. Lane, or Ste war;
Pearce, the wellkpown historian of LuZernC
county, would probably be selected If either
would allow his name to be used. The eontes
tants for the Democratic nomination are George
Banderson, a banker of Scranton, and S. T
Turner, a coal operator OF this place. Were
not Judge Woodward a candidate for Con
gress, his oldest son, Stanley Woodward
who is one OF the most eloquent Demo
cratic lawyers of this region, would un
9uestionably be selected, bat it woulC
look little too much like nepotism to have
father and son on the same ticket. The only
valuable local Office in dispute is the Sherifalty
said to be worth $40 900 year. There are ove
twenty asprants, but David l.. Patrick presen
Chief Burgess, is said 10 have the inside track
According to the late apportionmsnt, Luzern
county has attained in population the eXtraor
40 lGAI