Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-17
THE COAL. STRIKE.
rnree Thousand Men Suspeod work
and Over Two Hundred Mines Ndte.

and over Two Hundred Mines Ndte.
On Tuesday morning the REaIsrEs con-
tanned an article sctting forth the probaoii-
ity of general strike among the miners OF
the Piedmont, Frostburg and Cumberland
coal mines, on account OF reduction;
About month ago. the presidents oil tnelz
coal companies in the Georges creek regions
notified their men that the following re-
duction would go into effect on Wednesday
March Is: Miners, from 60 to so cents per
ton: drivers. from $40 to $lS per day:
and at the same time working hours would
be increased from ten to twelve hours per
dav The men notified the officers OF their
refnssl of the new terms. and day before
YESTERDAY 1908 miners went on strike.
This strike. which is de largest ever
known in this region, leaves TWO fundreu
and odd mines idle, and Will doubttesS
cause Georges Creek and Cumberland CoaI
10 disappear. from the markets in rev
days The men were ordered to strike by
the Executive Committee OF the knights oil
Labor. The admirable discipline prevail
ing in the organization is shown by the TACT
that 900 men scattered over a section OF
country eighteen miles long BY i've broad
unhesitatingly obeyed the order. The
mines toward Cumberland were the hrst 70
receive the edict, and as the news spread
southwark through the valley the little VII
of the mines became alive with men emery
ing from the depths. By noon there was
moi a man left in any of the mines from
Cumberland to Piedmont. The principal
mining towns of the valley were later III
the day oyerrun by miners who came IN
from the coal fields 10 learn the latest phase
of the situation and the will of their mys-
teriouS rulers.
The miners in this region are noted for
their industry and good character, anu are
probably the best paid laboring men IN the
limited States. They receive from $50 to
Sl25 per month, and not being given to dis
sipation, have nearly all saved money. The
treat majority own the houses they live IN
and have money in bank, which places
them in an unusually good position for the
coming fight. The decreasing demand for
coal. at the approach OF warm weather,
places the operators in an equally good con-
dition and creates situation THAI Will De
viewed with interest by all worklngmen.
The presidents OF the coal companies APP
pear to be as anxious TO avoid individual
prominence in fighting the miners as the
latter to suppress the names OF their Oth-
GERS. The miners are encouraged 10y the
fact that in 1879. when they struck TO COM
pei an advance from 30 to I'D cents per ton,
the price now paid, they were successful.
the companies agreeing to the demand al
ter contesting it for one week. Since that
time the Knights of Labor, emboldened by
success, established numerous rules to the
advantage Of the miners, which the compa-
nieS were compelled to accept. Now. how
ever, the companies announce their deter
mination to overthrow the organization,
and deny its authority. This alone would
have produced strike, even had not the
wages been cut down. The companies, IN
anticipation of the difficulty, some days
aro sent agents into the Pennsylvania coal
regions in search OF miners, but the
KNIGHTS of Labor outhanked them by
sending representatives to the same sec
ton.
The only sad feature OF the strike is the
fact that it throws out about two hundred
men on the coal trains Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company. As they are poorly
paid they can III afford to be idle.