New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-20
A COAL FAMINE.


BETWEEN CAPITAL AND LABOR-TTIE MINERS
UNION TO BE BROKEN UP-No MORE COAL TO
LEAVE THE MINEs-THE MARKETS ALMOST
BARE.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 19.-The most gigantic
combination ever made the interests OF capital was
perfected Wednesday last at the Eew-York Office OF
the Delaware Iackawanna and Western Railroad Com
pany 1t embraces every carrying company which enters
the anthracite coal regions the majority OF the operators
and associations engaged in mining that article ana
many OF largest OF iron works in the Lehgh
and schuylkn Valleys. Tho proceedings of the
meeting were kept secret but 1t ia now certainly
known that alliance has been Effected the
object OF which is TO blot ont OF existence the
various labor unions OF the miners which are famous as
the most powerful organizations Of the kind In the world
This is 10 be accomplished by strict blockade OF tho
coal regions until the several associations shall be dis
rupted through the operation Of famine few oper-
aors and companies in various parts Of the coal regions
willing to give the wages asked by the Miners Union
and some started up Tuesday last To prevent
the wages which might be paid by these companies and
individuals from reaching tho miners the charges
for transporting coal have been more than doubled,
and placed 30 high as TO bring the cost Of
mining and carrying above the market price The policy
will be carried out by further advances In the tolls as
prices upward until side the other surrenders
1t also enters into the designs OF the combination to
punish those operators companies who refuse TO be
bound by the action OF the Anthracite Board OF Trade,
and who would otherwise reap the advantage OF the
temporary high prices. The members OF the said An
thrace Board Of Trade, Operators Union arc very
bitter against these outsiders.
such in brief the explanation Of the statement pub
shed Saturday, that the tolls from Wlkesbarre TO
EHzabethport, over the Lehlgh Valley and Lehigh and
susquehanna Railroads had been raised to 81 10 per tun
The Reading Railroad has made corresponding advance
in its frcghts, having more than doubled them. The
Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, the Pennsylya-
MIA Coal Company and the Delaware Lackaw anna, and
Western Railroad Companies have agreed on their part
work. at the reduced prices for labor
that they offered last December. until the questions at
! issue settled.
Meanwhile the general public subjected to the i'm
minent risk OF a coal famine more terrible than any
! which they have previously endured. Nothing hut
speedy settlement Of this to the knife between eap
tai and labor prevent IT, The stock OF coal in and
around EcwYork CITY, outside OF the small Quantities
held by Spectators retail dealers and consumers Is be-
eved not to exceed $1,000 tus, which is less than the
ordinary weekly consumption or this amount the Del
! aware and Hudson Canal Company hold about 1900
tuns the Lehgh Navigation and Wilkes-Barre Coinpa-
MES 10000 and the Delaware Lackawanna and Western
perhaps 1000. At Port Richmond there are some
10000 tuns part of which, that the Delaware River
is open, is available TO supply New-York and Boston.
In the coal regions the excitement is Of course inse
and violence to property, not TO person, is greatly
feared The schuyku operators offer no terms to the
miners and refuse have anything ~ do with the Work
incnens Benevolent Association, with which they have
hitherto arranged all connected with wages.
On the other hand. the miners insist upon better pay
| than they demanded when they went out Both sides
are clearly in the wrong. Whatever proyoeation the
capitalists may have la it papablc that their courfe
/ is mercess alike 70 the public and to the wives and
families OF the miners. The following Is sketch OF the
principal which preceded aud gave rise 20 the
great combination of the carrying companies and ope-
| Tators against tie Union:
On the OF December the employed by the three
! NJ.
called here ceased working account Of proposed re-
ductOn OF 40 Der cent in their wages. These men
have remained idle ever since. To cement the Miners
aud LaJoIers Union by the incorporation into IL OF the
Northern associations which had hitherto acted indie
pcudeutly OF il, the 10th OF January was in
augurated the most complete and extensive suspension
Of mining known in pennsylvana IL Was be,
gun in pursuance OF decree promulgated by the Grand
Council OF the Workhemets hehtI"iehI AssoClltl9'
or IL snow officially designated, the Miners and La
Dor, Benevolent AsOcaian, at session held at Tam
nqua, December D. 1870 IAe object o me susIehtion'
declared az the time, 10 depee the market,
lad for coal ino during The OF 1871 and fair
price obtained for it. But, hong before the meeting OF
of Trade and OF the WOlbnemens Benevolent Assoca-
ton the Of the former IN Pottsville No
verAber 7, 1870 and signed the following agreement
Paoro,I1os ADJUSTING WAGES lsro commence "ib
Port Cafon oude wages 20 he - pr sees r'e
Con;Il, leaee M pr from 'be basis AID the
thus fomed Ire advance or decline Je grAied on
the. ,c r,e Or mi @ , a n to III, Commute. 90 the
pan Br Of Trade and ~ Worsingnn Benevolent
i
! Ing karo@a COMPANY Tor Jar reduction OF tolls
This agreement was submitted the different branches
Of the ". y. A. for raticaOn and was adopted ny them,
but on Jan o. 1871 shuy lh County received a. adhere
! Committee of the W. b. A.
That the xoirguen Of Scbo,k Comfy strictly
A. basis Llzene Carbon work With good iih
Ile and CI6on ne 90 not Ic ~, Is 10 goi % '' We ''A
Tie above Increase in the demands of the Working
pens Benevolent Association Is used one OF the
strongest breaking mp that organization But
il should be remembered that when the manifesto OF
issued great change had taken place IN the
situation. ON the eth Of Novenber all the great com
Jauies work and there seemed DO prospect
Of asuul,n embracing al The six counties. Inc =
! ba that on which the Schuylklll miners ha1
worked through 1869, and against reduction OF wnlch
the strike Of April TO August, $50 was so 0bstiatey
pmraCted Tho resolution To siaho our LOT Tue - pasls
qualified by the clause as long as Luzerne ana
! Carbon work with rs in good faith &c .
IN the wyoming ana lAchsN anne tcs1lls the strihS
was begun several weeks before IL extended 10 Lengp
regions had for months been paying wages higher than
Inc market warranted though they did for reasons Of
ny s basis. In November, 1870 the Delaware, Lacka,
/ wanna and Western Company reduced the wages OF
/ its miners 10 Is figure better warranted by exist
~ 10,aware and Hudson and The Pennsylvania Coal
C0mplnies Their instantly struck in renonstranee
and demanded wages the former rates and seeing tat
Ihy roud not accomplisl this alone they to the
Tiaaua Council enough deel ates 10 commit that body,
junction with the Lelgh DELEGATES " geherai sl5
pension NJ all the counties despite he protests Vi SchuSi
At le bidding of the Grand Council all work was in
stantly stopped Men who had nade fleelal contracts;
even. IN eases Of such nature that thcy eceed
ali benefits of strike while incurrng none OF IT. ds
ges laid down their picks with the rest ana eit
their employers in the Iurch with but moment warn
ing Only in the ends of the Middle ana
Southern coa-helds, which the influence OF
! ,he w. r. 4. had not YET extended, lew
| were reduced IN force by the detection OF large
numbers Of their The result OF this movement on
th mart OF the workngnen was that the operators III all
fbc regions hogan to ee sensiby ihan ever he,
fore how great the power OF Their employees ana
hoy greatly disturbed were the relations OF employed
and employers Tey realized that the time for hnal ana
decisive action II they wished ever again 10 eohro eH
Gwn property. had new come -, ., - ..,