The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-07-22
READY FOR BUSINESS.
A POWERFUL LABOR ORGANIZATION
IN PENNSYLVANIA
One That Is More Efficient Than Any Of
Its Predecessors Control of the
Six Companies-Clevela
and Bay City.

CHICAGO. July 22-The Times Shenan-
doah special says: When the Miners and
Laborers' union, the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers and the Molly Mcguire
organizations went to pieces in the coal re-
gions of Pennsylvania, and their members
in many cases were forced to leave the
country, it was universally supposed that an
other workingmen's union could never again
be organized out of the wreck. As the miners
themselves were known to be in opposition
to any such movement all attempts in TIL
direction were looked upon as futile. Strikes,
too, as a means of obtaining their rights
and ad justing their grievances after so
many failures, were supposed to be buried
beyond resurrection, at least so far
as t miners were concerned. But
the willy agitator again appeared last
April, and there now exists in the anthra
cite coal fields workingnen's association
more ar-reaching and powerful than any
of its predecessors. Among its members are
the most influen ial and prominent business
men of the coal region, who regularly
attend the meetings, and who promise
unlimited support should 1t become
necessary. The new organization is
known as the Miners and Laborers' Anal
gamatel association" having branches in
every state in the union Its strength IN
| this section may be estimated when it is
known that it has a membership of IA, 900 IN
Schuykill county alone.
| The influx of foreigners to the coal mines
has so increased during the past few years
that it was wisely decided by the new or
ganizaton to have these nationalities otfici.
ally represented in all its branches, that the
purposes and object of the association
might be fully explained to them The
miners are very retieent when approached
on the subject of n strike, but their
activity On all sides indicates a movement
| in that direction which will be more bitterly
upheld than the great seven months lockout
during the reign Of the Molhes In the
anthracite coal-tields of Pennsylvania are
! 250,0O0 men, women and children.
The whole anthracite coal.felds of the
country are controlled by six large com
panies The Lehigh Valley Railroad com,
pany, the Philadelphia q Reading Railroad
and Coal and Iron company the Delaware
& Hudson Canal company, have the contro
of this combination, which fixes the price
of every ton Of anthracite coal tha
is used in the United States 1t fxe
the price that every miner shall receive fol
digging it out of tine ground, and also fxe
the price that every retailer shall secure for
handling ton, ami dictates what number
of tons of coal shall be mined during year
OF the 100000 acres OF anthracite Goa
lands in Pennsylvania, this combination
owns fosr- fifths and controls by arbitrary
means the other fifth.
The miners, while they admit strikes ar,
improbable and generally terminate in suf
fering and defeat, believe that it is tia
only means at present by which bette
condition of things may be obtained. Al
this will be discussed at their general con
yention to be held in Pittsburg, July o
Among other important business which viii
receive the attention Of that body is tn
company store system.