The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-06-05

CY-A HIsToRY OF THE PENNsYLvANIA
MINERS oUBLEs-MR. SINRY's VRR.
SION OF HIS ARREST AZ GIVEN BY HIN.
sELF.
We clip the following from the Cleve.
land Leader of May 18th and are author
lied by Mr.. Siney to state that his state
ment Of the case is correct TO the letter
A few days since = report reached this
city that John Siney, the President Of the
Miners National Association, had been
arrested IN OsceolA, Penn, on . charge Of
conspiracy. The report naturally excited
q good deal of comment in this city, where
Mr.. Siney Is well known. On Saturday
Mr.. Siney returned TO the city, and .
leader reporter called upon him for the
purpose of ascertaining his views upon
the subject. The reporter was well re-
celved by Mr.. Siney, who unhesitatingly
consented to give all knowledge within his
power bearing upon the subject. The in
terview was opened by the reporter, who
requested Mr.. Siney to give short state
ment of the question from his standpoint,
and also review Of his experience while
In the hands Of the law.
Mr. Siney-The arrest transpired near
i OSNCOhA, q SAAnAA pAoCC IA AuC
center Of extensive coal fields. One year
ago the miners at work in that locality had
been receiving sixty cents per ton for min
ing coal. About that time, on account of
the duh times a general reduction was
made to fifty cents per ton, with the dis
tinct understanding on the part Of both
miners and operators, that as soon as bust
siness revived the old rates would be re-
stored.
Reporter-By the way, Mr. Siney, how
many are there employed in and about
I these mines
1 Mr.. Siney-When the mines are in full
operation there are emplo Jed there about
! 200 men.
Reporter What further claims have the
miners in the matter
| Mr.. Siney-The miners claim that with
in the last ten or twelve weeks business
has revived, and that they we're entitled
4 to an advance of ten cents, 50 as to come
up to the old rate Of sixty cents. They
intimated their desires to the various en-
ployers several weeks before the com
mencement Of any trouble, and asked for
joint interview between the operators
and miners, with view OF avoiding any
difficulty, which request was entirely ig
nored by all the companies, they refusing
to meet the men. About April lst IF the
present year the miners
BECAME INDIGNANT
at the way they were being treated by the
operators, and quit work, Immediately sent
word to that effect to the Cleveland office
At that time | vas in the heart Of the
Pennsylvania hard coal regions attending
to business relating to the Miners Asso-
citation. | was duly advised from Cleve-
land Of what was transpiring in the Osceo-
la coal regions, Dut at that time had no
opportunity to attend to 1t personally. As
soon as business would permit, however,
| went to Cleveland. and from there at
once proceeded TO Tioga county for the
purpose Of counseling with the miners Of
that locality against going into a strike
which was contemplated, the reason for
/ which was also that the producers refused to
give the miners what Is called the regular
/ spring advance, a. it has always been the
custom to dig during the fall and winter
/ for ten cents less than is paid during the
spring and summer. This strike was avert
I ed, the miners concluding to continue
work after my review Of the situation.
I Reporter After ynu had finished your
business at TIoga, where did You 60
Mr.. Siney-From Tioga | went to Gar
bon Run, Bradford county, where strike
had been going on for some two months.
Reporter was the cause nf this
strike
Mr.. Siney-The cause Of this strike was
the same as the one contemplated in Tioga,
with an addition that the men claim they
were cursed with what is called the Com
pany store system. The employing in
terest have always claimed that no one was
compelled to deal at their stores, but the
custom has been TO discharge any man who
may be working in the Mines that will not
trade in them. The men have always been
given to understand, and the custom Is
now, that man must deal al these stores
and pay whatever price is asked, Is a con
dition Of having work The representa-
tives Of the company have been known to
send farmers of the grounds, who went
there to sell their produce to the miners
Reporter Ii this store system were
abolished do you think the men would 20
to work, at the old rate--ifty cents
Mr.. Siney-I believe the miners would
consent to the reduction, il they were al
lowed to trade where they chose, IA then
they would be able to obtain articles at
rates that would more than balance the re-
duction Of ten cents
Reporter you have any talk with
the operators regarding the resumption Of
the old rates--sixty cents
Mr.. Siney-l saw one Of the operators
and had a long with him, but failed
to get any other terms than those on
which the met quit.
Reporter hat was your next move
Mr.. Siney-From this latter place went
to the Osceola mining region, arriving
there May 10Th. When | arrived there
found the whole place in a great state Of
excitement The companies had been i'm
porting men from Philadelphia, Harris
burxh, and other cities to take the places
Of the strikers. Upon inquiry ! found
there had had an interview with the new
comers Immediately upon their arrival,
and after explaining the situation t. them
they had agreed to- return home if the
miners would LAY their transportation
! This the miners agreed to do, and char
tered special train and sent them tC
Tyrone.
WENT TO HoUTzDALE
Early On the morning Of May llth
went 10 Houtzdale, a small place six miles
: from Osceola. After counseling with
large number of men at that place, they
concluded to hold a meeting. While TIM
was going on man rushed in, saying, "A
J train Of blacklegs is going up the track t.
the mines Y We all then went out, th'
: miners formed in line and Immediately
J proceeded in the direction of the mines
: When part Of the way up, they were me
by Mr.. Fisher, one Of the operators, an'
l Captain Clark, of the police force, AM
| posse who refused the men, as a body, Al
: interview with the new comers, claimin
= As reason that they could not pass owe
! that ground, as it was the private propert
Of Mr. Fisher.