The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-22

Disputed Ownership OF Miners House
Lots-Wages In Reconsideration OF
tho Compa mics To Reduce Minors Conn
pensatiOn. l-L-L - -----A ------ p ---.n /

Disputed Ownership OF Miners House
Lots-Wagcs In Arrears-Disposition OF
tho Compan mics To Reduce Minors Conn
wnKEsBARRE, Pa, Jan. 21, 1874
The immense mass meeting of coal miners which
was held here to-day. and which brought to Weiss
Hall hundreds more than could get In, is OF itself
clear indication that the workingmen Of Luzerne
county, who are now for the most part lying idle,
are determined to make q decisive stand concern
ing their future action, and taking the In
itiatory steps for the protection Of themselves and
their families in case OF . general strike
Many years agothe Delaware and Hudson Canal
Company offered certain portion of land, then q
barren waste, for miners to settle their homes
upon, with the understanding that 1t was to be
their own for long time in the future. At the
end OF this stated time they were to receive
fair equivalent for any improvements they might
make thereupon. the time has come when the
company ind the land is pregnant with COAL and
insist that the occupants must sign paper which
will dispossess the holders OF the w0rkinRmen's
property at o smaller sum than they deem their
improvements to be worth and the company now
insist that they will employ none who do not sign
this paper About 1,50o persons are included in
this '4ock out" and they say that II the company
do not come to terms and acr squarey In she mat
ter serious outrages are likely to be the natural
result i.rsr1 a-. .a,t
Y HISTORY OF THE WAGES DISPUTE. -
In the year 1880 the condition upon which labor
and capital agreed to work in sympathy was that
which was known as che IS basis, and which,
under the circumstance Of o large consumption
OF COAL allowed the laborina man certain per-
centage upon what might be generally regarded
- more than ordinary sales-thas Ii, were coal at
Q fixed price during the season q common per-
centage would go to the miner, and were coal to
increase In price beyond q certain limit the per.
centage accruing to the laborfng man would in.
crease IS well. In 1870 capital came to labor and
said :-ssThe market price and current demand for
coal no longer warrants US In paying you the per-
centage which we have gwen hitherto" Labor
said to capital "very we'll we will submit to
reduction" The reduction made was ten per cent
upon condition that, should the demand for coal
increase and its market value be enhanced the
old conditions should be complied with. Since
December the miners OF the Wyoming region have
been idle. Those who were represented in the
meeting this afternoon went TO their emploYer,
Mr.. Parrish, and said to him :-"Last season was
Of our MINES; we therefore ask that you viii give
s serk g the & Sss: q 1907 S This
The meeting TO-DAY was the most momentous
sembled gave vent to the most extraordinary dem
onstratfons. The eject made was TO unto the
workingmen OF this region with the new constitu-
ton Of the National Miners Association OF the
United States. the headquarters OF which are at
Cleveland. OhtA; while it was. also the first one
formally addressed BY the President Of the Union,
ME-, John Saney. The miners were aware Of tho
ths opening Of the meeting hundreds upon
hundreds came forward add signed their
names to the document The new constitution
prevents all local. District OF State strikes, and
places every workingman In all the coal regions
under the/c0ntro of the President and directors Of
the order II o district county or state considers
itself aRgTieved 1t cannot act Of Its own accord
upon such grievances, but mnst needs refer ITS
complaints to the chlef executive offcer OF the
NATIONAL Association. II such complaint is Just the
President OF the order pronounces mis- decision,
and II thera Is strike, every coal mining district
IN the United States Ia involved In 1t, In other
words, the strike becomes national. TO support
the MIXERS during such q general strike an
lt,ampe >pr0vlsl0n Is made In the new constitution
< WHOA Allows each enc coupected With the orQay .