Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-04-21
IHE MINERS, sInIkE. .

Tho PhiilIpsburg Journal In Ailading to the
strike snysi
"As was stated In our last issue, Il was feared
that general strike Of tho miners Of this region
was imminent, demand having been made for
M advance Of ten cents per ion on the price OF
digging, which has heen nfiy cents per ton for
more than year. The day appointed by the
miners until which they were willing to wait for
decisicn on the part Of the operators was Thus
day Of last week, hut they worked until Saturday
aud On Monday remained out, at all the collerics
on the Mo,hannon branch, except Moshannou
Mines, at which time the operators bad made
no formal anr ounccpont Of their decision. On
Wednesday q meeting Of miners was held at
Houudale TO deteInlire the question of work at
the percent price, and II was concluded to insist
upon The advance pnd remain cut until Il was OBJ
tnin,d. A meeting Of operators was also hold at
Osccoa on tho same day and the question Of tho
rise was also considered, the unanimous conclu-
sion Icing that they coud not give the advance
asked ior, The n,n At Morrsdale Mines came
out on Monday without having made any demand
whatever and without the least notice. by q
m understanding Of tho dispatch from opera
tors as assembled at Osceoln on Wednesday the
advance was allowed at Morrsdale and for two
hours, or until the mistake was discovered, the
men worked at sixty cents per ton, and were then
called out As a1airs stood on Wednesday, tho
us men ut Morrisdale were out. Decatur, with
90 men, wns working al the old price Derby al
lowed the advance aud was working % men Gu
ba yieded working Is men. On the Map Teton
branch all the miners were working at the old
price, no rise having been asked, ms follows Lu-
cas- mines formerly lIalc's) 25 men Mapleton
90 men, Logan IS men, Laurel Run 50 men. On
the Moshannon branc b, Moshannon was working
with lull force Of 60 mon, ut the old price ;
Sterling wns working 80 men out Of 2lO Eure-
has g0 men were out Frnnklin's 200 men were
idle, and the co inen at Penn were out On the
Goss Run branch work at the three collcrics
was suspended the number Of men at each Of
the works being about as follows; whiteheads,
50 skeath's, SO Fisher A Miller, so. On the
main limo Of the T. a. Q. Branch, above 0sce-
ola, Reliance, which was working 10 men,
was idle Powelton with about 80 men
had not suspended labor, but Langdons 10
men had struck. This was the condition Of af-
fairs on Wednesday, but on Thursday the min
ers who had been working since Monday came
out, except few at Sterling, Moshannon and
Powelton, aud the strike may be regarded as gen
eral. The disposition OF the miners Is to remain
firm in their demand. The feeling Of the opera
tors is that in the present state of trade, and at
present prices, they cannot give m increase Of
wages, and that the, will put in such men, In a
short time, as are willing TO work at the old
Of coal, and contracts were being made ut even
less than eighty cents per ton, on board. II is
true that there has been u reduction In the rates
of freight, but that has Injured only TO the benefit
Of consumers, who are too wise lot to profit by
the reduction when there Is no dearth Of btu
minous coal. An agent Of the National Miners
Association has beon isiing this region and
told the men tha It had in its treasury money
enough to supply $4,000 men with IS per week
for six months, and that, though they should not
be rash, II they determined to strike, to be firm.
This would require Sa,250,0OO, and II this sum
is actually In the treasury Of the Assoeia ton,
II would afford Il an excellent opportunity to ap-
ply II to practical cooperation, lesseung thereby
the sity for strikes, and perhaps solving the
labor problem altogether. The impression T.
that the strike will not be Of great duration, us
the anthracite mines are about resumng, and II
is impossible for the operators to pay sixty cents
at present prices, and there is no hope Of rise
In tho prices during the present stagnation OF
business, unless strike can he inauguraicd
tn roug ghout III the bituminous regions In the
country, VIII ch Is simply an impossisility. There
is an over production OF coal, or ut least, II not
m over production, the capacity Of the coal
regions is greatly in exceas Of, II not
double the demand, which amounts to the same
thing, rs far as wages are concerned. We hope
for speedy adjustment of tho difficulties, as a
suspension Of coal operations, added to the de-
preston Of business Tor the past year and half
would render the prospect for the next six
months at least, In this region, decidedly gloomy.