New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-19
NETWORK, MONDAY. JANUARY 10. 1874
THE COAL MINERS STRIKE.
THE CONTEST BETWEEN LABOR AND CAP
ITAL FAIRLY BEGUN.

1hE CONIESI BETWEEN LAbOh AMI CAP
ITAL FAIRLY BEGUN.
A RUPTURE BETWEEN CAPITAL AND LABOR IN TIE
wILKEsBARRE REGION-A LONG STRIKE ANrIcI-
PATED-MAGNITUDE or THE COAL INTEREST.
Joy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBoNE.)
WnKEsBARRE, Jan. 1s.-The combinations
controlling the coal interest Of Wyoming region have
determined to force reduction OF 10 per cent from the
basis OF 1879 This fact announced TO the miners
yesterday, but yet action has been taken. The
asked first for an advance Of the same figures, but
this demand has been positively rejected. There Is
every probability that this determination the part OF
the operating companies will breed trouble and lead to
open rupture the schuyIki anthracite
Already the intelligence Of the reduction has spread
rapidly among the miners, and has created considerable
excitement in the territory contained within the Wilkes
barre district. The men a unit against the
decrease, and declare they Will submit TO It,
Nearly all Of the mines in the Wyoming region are at
this time suspended, andmany thousand men, IA con-
sequence, idle This stOppage owing to alleged prepa
ration for the Spring trade No coal Is being moved,
and stock is on hand In this region. Even u tho
miners to accept the reduced basis. operations
would not begin before the latter part OF February OF
March, The operators declare they cannot afford to
mnc as market, and but little probability OF
q demand being created within the next two months
An operaor representing millions OF capital said to
day that if do not accept tho reduction they
sit still awhile"
There is little doubt ths action Of the combination
IL only sequel OF the secret conference recently held
New York, and that general reduction IA To be made
throughout every coal region the State II this is 10
then general out OF the miners VIII ultimately
ensue The men the Wyoming region are preparing
TO resist seeking the protection OF the
National Miners Union, and meetings are to be held TINS
week In every district organize. The Union guaran
tees ITO each member in good standing sum sufficient to
keep himself family comfortable during the prev
aence OF strike and before was the treasury OF
the organization l fiourshing condition as at this
Tine 1t Is anticipated that before month thorough
organization OF the entire region Will be ELECTED ana
then the men will better position to confer with
the combination.
To give some Of vast Is the coal interest OF
the Northern coal fields 1t may be stated that tne
amount OF capital invested IA fully soooooCoO and the
amount OF production 100000 tons per month From
5000 to 10000 miners and lborers are employed, and
three times these cures represent the people directly
dependent upon their labor The pay OF the men IL az
follows: Miners SIS to SIS per week; common outside
aborers e0 50; inside laborers, $l2 90 When coal at
NewYork sells Tor than IS per toD the miners are
entitled to certain percentage, but they nave seen
none for last months, although entitled to some
The operators declare that the bad times have vetoed
this clause OF the contract
MR. GOWENS PROPOSITION POSITIVELY REFUSED
NO ACTION by THE oPERATORs-sOME OF THE
sHAMoKIN CoLLIERIEs STILL RUNSING-vIEws
OF TIE louisville STANDARD.
POrTsvILLE, Jan. 18.-The Committee OF the
Laborers' and Miners Benevolent Association met yes
terday, and unanimously rejected the Gowen PROPOSE
tion and adoped resolution allowing the 20 work
in any coery where the owner is willing to pay the
s. so basis meeting OF operators was also held
at the Phadc iphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com
pany's Office Mr. Gowen not present The decision
of the men was sept to them, but they adjourned with
out taking action thereon declaring they had no further
proposition to make. There the matter rests ana the
prospects indicate long and extended strike In the
Shamokn district the operators have not agreed TO pay
the 1873 basis teegraphed, except only those snip
ming westward and via the Lehgh Valley routes The
operators making shipments over the Philadelphia and
Reading Railroad have joined the latter Company, and
insist on the reduction. The Daily Standard OF THE
morning says:
There ls 10 longer any doubt Of the fact thar there
a general suspension OF mining operations IN TINS re,
cion aud unless Philadelphia and r. aiding Coal and
Iron Company Iecedes from tie frm stanl ~ Mas taken,
the cessation OF labor will be proracted and costly
alike TO tins community and the operators and miners
Yesterday the Executive Committee OF the Miner Be
ne VIOLENT Association met IN this CITY ana formally
agreed to disagree with the conditions laid down In the
Gowen proposition. As the representatives OF tue men,
the Committee could not have done otherWSe. EVeIy
district the county had voted unanimously IN nearly
every instance. not to submit To reduction pasrd upon
a contingency, and very remote one at that' usPo-
Son TO concede everything but the & 50 BASIS was
manifested, however, and the demand Tor circular
prices receded from. Tue suspension mas now
iarly begun. When how II will end no one can pre-
dIct with any certainty at this time the men are
Wei 0rsa1Sgd n"yG ech t wSa Key CONSIDER Their
rights Tue Company, on the other hand Is determined
not to make single concession aud MI Gowen has be
gun policy whicn looks though he would protrdct
the fight Indefinitely. To supply The railroad ana tue
local OF Philadelphia he mas begun the shipment
OF coal the Lehgh region over the branches VI MS
road connecting with that REGION at lover rates THAI ne
ordinarily charges To transport II over the man road
from Port Carbon to Philadelphia Ths Is an extreme
measure Among the smaller operators there IL gene
TAI feeling favor OF the paying oil the Uass Oh 1915 anu
their action combined WITH tue general leelhS oi the
country against long and disastrous saspenson may
compel an early resumption Al TINS wlug' ho"e'e''
the prospect IL FAR from being favorable
TIE wILKEsBARRE MINERS ORGANIZING - THEIR
DEMAND FOR INCREASED WAGES REFUsED-sOME
ERRORS CORRECTED.
lGEsERAL PRESS DIsPArcH.l
WuKEsBARRE, JAN ia large meeting OF
miners was held In Weiss Hall yesterday afternoon TO
upon the state OF affairs at present existing
and TO effect an organization and unite with the National
Association Speeches made by James OIIaloran,
| AN officer OF the National Association, and others,
expaining the objects OF that organization and setting
forth the advantages which the miners OF this section
would derive from uniting with It, An address prepared
by James OHallOran and first presented at meeting
in Ohio q month ago, was read and met with hearty
approval II then voted TO JOIN che National Asso-
| ciaton and a constitution at once adopted and
officers nominated.
| The chairman OF the Committee appointed to wait
upon Charles Parrish, bearing the demand for AL ad-
vance of 10 per cent III wages reported that the Com
mittee had gone the Office OF the Company and were
at first told by clerk that they could not see Mr. Par
rsh but were finally admitted into his presence though
not very couteously received After reading the paper
| which was handed TO him. asking for an increase OF
| wages for 1874. he replied:
You cannot what you ask for will not give you
an increase; will reduce your wages; have been CAV
ing YOU ali you entitled TO, and cannOt raise now
wien cannOt ton Of coal or sell hundred tons
The Committee asked to have the answer pat in writ
inn INT this Mr. Parrish declined 10 do. Nothing, what