Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-05
1S4E7 WILL YIELD A JOT r
PRESIDENT coR6lN.

So Resolves an Assembly of the Reading
striiers--nIeanwhiIe the Army of Women
and Children Walt and suffer-A Diaboii-
cal Attempt Hewitt Agatha Row
Over Assembly Funds.
READING, Pa, Jan. 5-An army Of 80, 90
miners is idle in the Schuylkill and Lehigh
coalfields Behind them stands an array OF
upward Of 20O 600 wives and children, who
have been depending upon them for their
bread, making In all quarter of million
of people.
1t looks like holiday all over the coal re-
giona Every one is out, dressed in his best,
and the streets are full of men. They are not
unit on the question Of strike. In every
district there were old miners who had wit
messed the sufferings in what is known as the
"long strike" of 1874, and these men argued
against recurrence of the trouble from the
start but were out-voted by the younger
element During that winter scores
of men, women and children
actually died of starvation. The miners of
Donaldson, Schuylkill county, are probably
the most determined of any OF the strikers
AT their meeting resolutions were passed that
the men would "not return TO work until
compelled to devour their boot-tops cooked
| In brine"
The individual operators are all making
arrangements to resume work, the questions
| al issue to await the decision in the Reading
case This will leave the coal and iron COM
pany TO fight the labor battle alone. They
accept the issue and at a meeting Of the six
coal and iron district superintendent
"Wednesday afternoon with manager
Whiting and Superintendent Veitb, IL was
decided to wait the return to worfsof their
employees, and to give encouragement and
guarantee safety to all who want to be en-
ployed. 1t was the opinion OF the superin-
tendents that majority of tho miners
wanted to work, but were in fear OF the Ia.
Dor agitators' wrath and their companions
| derision.
The question of subsistence is bothering the
strike leaders somewhat, and the miners OF
| the Wyoming region will be asked to give 81
| per head to aid the strikers Secretary Ca
| hill reports that he is in daily receipt OF
goodly contributions from the Lehigh men.
John L Lee and G. J. Farne, of the execu-
tive committee of the Reading strikers, went
to Scrsnton Wednesday to put their case be-
fore General Master Workman Powderly,
but he WIS not we'll enough to consider the
matter, and it was referred to the general
| executive board at Philadelphia. Mr.. Pow
DERBY is said to have denied, with strong
| emphasis, UunI ue hthA ~ my SAPiSHoSN
an opinion adverse 20 the action OF the
| strikers
In the meantime the coal supply touches
everybody 1t is fact admitted on all sides
that the stocks here, at Philadelphia aud
other places is very low. but opinions differ
as to whether there will be a famine. 1t is
thought that the Pennsylvania railway, with
| the individual collries us will be able to pre-
| vent such a disaster.
President Corbin had consultations with
General Manager McLeod and General Sap
erintendent Sweigart, at the Office Of the Read
ding Railroad company, at Philadelphia
and agreed upon an address to the miners
ordering them back to work. If they refuse
Mr.. Mcleod said their places would be filled
by new men, who could be obtained in grea
numbers from other parts of the country.
At Shamokin the Pennsylvania railroad
- ~ 800 %.G %sn, s,tp nent