The New York herald., 1871-03-01
THE GREAT COAL STRIKE.
A Herald Reporter Interviews John Parker,
Editor Of the Anthracite Monitor.
A Letter from That Gentleman Specially
to the Herald Detailing the Situation.
Interviews with Miners Mt Tamaqua-
'sPOsitiveIy Decided to Hold Out Against
the Operators" - No Immediate
Hopes Of Resumption-s'We
viii Stick 1t Out"

| TAMAQUA, Feb. %, 1871.
The HERALD reporter arrived at this place this
morning. via Reading Railroad, from Pottsville.
The country along the route ID almost literally filled
with coal screenings; immense piles, hundreds OF
feet IN diameter, resembling black mountains, are
| scattered In all directions. Millions upon millions
| OF tons of this refuse show very plainly what has
been done in this region in coal mining in days gone
| by The "sl0pes are now idle; one or two men
are seen at some OF them acting as guards. Dut be-
yond that the whole country presents indeed a
scene OF desolation.
On arriving here your representative first
sought John Parker editor OF the A,athrocite
| Monitor. Mr. Parker was originally blacksmith,
and presents but few evidences OF the power he ex
ercses over the minds OF the So 900 miners OF this
| region.
On announcing myself as representative OF the
| HERALD Mr.. Parker extended a very cordial well
come. He said, ~ am glad the New York papers
have recognized the justice OF sending their repre-
sentatives among us. The HERALD, as usual is the
! first to put In an appearance"
REPoRTER-I need not say that have called for
| Information on the great question Of tue day-tne
| strike.
| Mr.. PARKER-I Will be most happy TO give you
| any information In my power. The course of the
HERALD, especially toward u.s. has been very lust
| OF late. had thought Of writing letter to your
paper, but since you here will writeit and give
| II to you.
REPoRTER-DO You think the suspension likely to
| last for some timer
| Mr. PARKEE-It is hard 10 say, unless the ope.
rators make up their minds 10 justly Justice
| Is all we ask. The miners Will not resume work.
| REPoKTER-How will they be enabled to stand out
against the operators for so long tme-they surely
have but little money!
Mr.. PARKER-They have made up their minds TO
do It; and when men think they are struggling in
just cause they WIN generally find means to live.
REPORTER-Wlll 1t not entail much suffering on
the poor famiies3
Mr.. FARKER-Some families are now suffering,
yet they receive help IRON Others No, the miners
are combined, and knowing full well that In .union
there Is strength" are resolved TO mold out until
starved into suDJecIion
REAL ESTATE OWNERS.
REPORTER-Have the miners any property? do
not mean as an organization, but do they personally
Own real estate
Mr.. PARKER-Ycs some OF them do; and they also
have some money in bank.
REPonrER-Was the meeting AT Mahanoy a large
and enthusiastic one2
MIR. PARKER-fes. very large and very enthusias-
TIC. l read an article from the HERALD at that
meeting written from Philadelphia. When had fin
] tell you it would have done your heart good to
have been there and seen how heartily miner ap-
preciates anything III the papers bearing sha low
| OF truth In relation to the present strike
RE!0RTER-Ihe Miners Journal this morning has
| Grand Jury to proclaim martial law in the coal
! regions. What do you think OF Itf
MI MT. PARKEE.it @ Is merely an evidence OF the des
/ perate state Of affairs for operators IL gives
hewed hope that our just demands Will be complied
with. There Is not the least danger that martial
| Mr. Parker then handed me the following state
ment OF affairs written exclusively for the HERALD
| on account OF It's very large circulation over ali
other journals ana the fairness that has marked all
the HERALD articles IN relation TO existing di1cu
| ties =
rsis.ssslns article your of Saturday last,
toe question fslr and truthful manner,
:S sY
'' man than whon there i: '''pit no greater enemy
to tha. in their demands
s to 81 s n as ssm he @ pay % Of
net earnings of the miners working contract work. forget
city during the Of &C. This what he did
IA person may be easily med BY looking pay roll
Some miner. who draw large sums sunni have . "butty whom
9y pay s q these sums and also 'uny expenses which
Now lei us see how Mr. Bannan OF 1869 wrote and com
% s:s!
for ,dr political hs Neither the OF
for they have ever looked upon him as designing
% no. anS S no ss
whom they have no confidence and whose sanity they
BIZ n The ~ Of he
the % pss s 2, the he Of the miners
D
For July isss Twenty S;.hsy days worked s,s oo
Gangway men, contract; higaess Sl2S o0
Miner: working breasts highest. lSS IS
Now il viii be seen BY these ssures that os and frac.
9 wa. the s: ns r. the
offer Of the employers at thus time the ~ 50 basis s 1879
July, 1859 earnings OF 81 y per cent.
ss of s Ss s So a
per man Take SiM per cent OF and what WIN be the aver
cannot b maintaiusd throughout % the 81 county Bu:
three dollars per day on the 80 5 basis
bis oWn s for the rat Of readers
s that BE- ss are .c
ton This deliberate fasehood. and the men
know to be 80 We have several aborers not
he says tina. The oesrs although they know that the
laborng men Of Luzerne make effort to get them wages
n siaf % 70
70 the employ and have justice done? Or why ara
pTcgossica i. Price .ssreIsS Tsey
nM
.s: p9s p &
SssI
e be paid ID % dollar ton GvsE
.d nc soaSya men Snds!
schaysi accept aI shs pToposen. S coal
should sell dollar above the Port Carbon,
who In to have the bencnt-thc Reading Railroad or the
consumeTy ! should like to know why Il is that the
Schuyikll operators pretend to be much opposed to
suspension when they have done all that laws in
s the assE q
Pittston to discuss the resumption question that
bers OF the Anthracite Coal Board trembling for fear
that the Council should decide in favor resumption And
when the Council satisfied that the price of coal was high
enough ordered resumption, the coal operators combined
together with twofod object to break the
Miner! Associaon and, secondly the coal uN so that
after they had broken the Workgmens Benevolent Asso
caton they would be enabled high which
they would get for their coal up losses during
he suspe ensfon and tidy thing beside.
They have endavored the OF suspen
sion on the men, while they have been the promoters OF
every way that they secretly could themselves
taken therein
They favor of suspension to depcte the markets
and advance the price Of but sot in favor suspen
sion to raise the price Of labor Hence the quarrel between
them and the men, The coal want TO pay what
wages they think proper, and the right TO their
Just share Of the rise price OF the article which their labor
| produces.