The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-08
THE COAL MINERS STRIKE.
The WOrkmen i'm All Directions
Dropping Their Tools.
Tho Great Coal Companies the Cause Of the
Trouble-Intsrview With tho Secretary Of tho
Miners Union-His Views Of tho Situation.

IN my journey southwark through the coal
regions OF Pennsylvania, ind everywhere that the
miners are dropping their tools and ascending to
their homes on the earths level having been forced
by the three great companies who control the coal
interests to take action on behalf Of them
selves and families. The strike has really
been the result OF the action OF the com.
panies, as the miners have not In any instance
asked for higher rates than they been receiv-
ing; While, on the other hand the companies have.
IN all the places where | have visited, reduced the
rates. Ihe only company which has not yet forced
their men to strike in order to speculate In coal and
make II as dear as potatoes IL the Lehgh and Sus-
quehanna Railroad and Coal Company, which has
some thousands OF men employed.
At Pittston to-day there fourteen hundred
men turned idle by the action OF the companies and
In every one OF the eighteen different mines OF the
Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, situated In
Luzerne county. work has been stopped, ana about
eight thousand men have been thrown idle AT the
Ayondale mine. In which the terrible disaster
took place last year, distant about four miles
from where am writing now, several
hundred men have been compelled to discontinue
work. as they find IT impossible TO support their
families al the reduced scale OF prices In the
OF the Wilkesbarre Coal and lion Company. located
In the vicinity OF this orderly town. there three
thousand men employed, and their men may not
strike this week, as they are working on what
Is called "basis." Working on .'baslsu
means that the companies and the men employed
have taclt sort OF agreement that long as coal
is not sold below certain rate In the market the
men shall not be reduced, and should IL bring a
higher rate than the STANDARD then the miners are
10 receive percentage OF the money in their wages
thus making the understanding a cooperative one
between the employers and employed, as all labor
should be governed.
beng worked and on inquiry OF The managers to-
day found that they had 900 men working; but
they could not inform me how long they would be
allowed TO work, the powerful organization OF
the miners might either by persuasion OF force stop
Al Ii. b. Hnlman's, Bowkley's and Mineral Spring
mines In which ABOUT eight hundred men are en-
pioycd the men are sil on tie fence. but WILL
believe, strike TO certainty when pressed 10 do
The Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, who
are the prime movers in this strike, having pressed
the miners into the strike unnecessarily. have, it IL
sail, 20l0 600 tons OF coal hand between Homes
dale and Rondout, The Delaware and Lackawanna
Company has 10000 tons. and the PENNSYLVANIA
Company has 100, 900 tons OF coal In stock am In
formed. These companies, with their railroads and
coal interests rule all the valleys in Southeastern
PENNSYLVANIA with a rod OF IRON. Whatever they
order is done, ana the miners would not be able to
resist them were IL not for their powerful
organization the strongest OF It's Kind In the
Union. About forty thousand men belong to II
In the anthracite regions; AMI west Of the Aliegha-
MES, III the bituminous districts, another grand
organization Is now being formed, which Will be
more numerous as body and fully az powerful In
ITS its sister In Eastern Pennsylvania.
Each member pays IN fity cents month to the
common fund, aud his dues and fines Will amount
10 as much more, ana when county strikes against
what they deem to be oppre sive acts the other
counties, to man, Will contribute and assist by
every means IN their power.
Under the present reduction the men who were re-
ceiying as aborcrs So IS day are now receiving
but 81 20 a day, a reduction OF 81 05. Almost
everywhere go find hundreds OF miners idle and
a Brs MGrk uo sG'pia MHesnarre Mr. andrew
9aialey. the President. and Mr.. James
In Luzerne county, which controls about 5000 men
IN The various shafts These men, who certainly
| ing men, were indignant that some OF the news
papers should msrepresent their motives and place
Who s only sought disturbance and not their rights
Mr.. OiIiallOfan said-"I do not see why men " no
OF danger going down in shafts and not knowing
whether we are over coming up ogain-I don't see
and our Grand Council, which governs the entire
body OF ihlIty-two thousand miners, is elected by
the appointment OF one delegate 10 every thousand
miners. Then we have an Executive Committee In
each county, and Thu committee chooses the dele.
gales to the Grand Counci Just as the State Legsla
ture In each State chooses United States Scna-
tors. We are ready 10 assist our brothers In
all Just cases. and do not Ike TO be buresqueI
as drunkards or ignorant men. Every man among
Us has the same rights to place q ballot IN the
balot-box as President Grant, and we mean 10
exercise that right We have newspaper, which
Is q stock concern, owned by the miners. There
are men OF all nations among U.s. and we make no
discrimination In any sense. 1r requires but two
OF miners quiet, and this ought TO DO q
proof OF our peaceabe qualities. We have no
collegiate education, Dut We can read ana write, and
claim to possess average intelligence. We are not
making any strike whatever, but are merely stand
Ing out against what we deem TO be an unjust re-
where the men have not discontinued work
It Is because there have been written agree
mems between the miners and certain companies
thatas long as the companies can get five dollars
q ton for coal they viii not ask to reduce the
mems wages, and X they get more than five dollars
a ton then the men will also lind prsht In ratio
OF the ascending scale. We do not force district
discontinue work, for all our men know that they can
not support their households Ut less than the wages
they have been receiving. We are always ready TO
give correct information to the HERALD, which we
all know Is read by one million readers every morn
ingn
This ended the interview. ] have just learned
that the Pittston aud Elmra Coal Company g
employees, VINO had discontinued work, have
all went back 10 the mines, as the COM
pany has agreed to give them the old
rates without any reduction whatever. This Is the
first break among the capitalists, ana 1t Is more than
probable that 1T win nave good effect. The miners
have o beneficial fund or 100000 10 begin work
WITH and they can raise twice as much In addition,
Ii " Is necessary, by assessment