Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-15
APPROACHING A CRISIS.
The Sufferings Of the Idle Coal Miners-A
Secret Conference of the New Unions
Officials Held Yesterday,

The Sufferings of the Idle Coal Miners-A
Secret Conference of the New Unions
Officials Held Yesterday.
A secret conference OF officials of the coal
miners new organization was held yesterday
in the Office OF the Labor Tribune. Those
present were Thomas W. Davis, Vice Presi-
dent of the National Progressive Union of
Indiana; W. T. Lewis, National Secretary
of the organization; P. II. Penna, President
of the Indiana State Association and organ
izer for the new union.
The meeting was held for the urpose of
considering important matters, and the re-
lations of the new union to the Knights of
Labor. The officers have antagonized the
national officers of the knights of Labor,
and will continue to do so. A programme for
work among the miners who have not yet
become members of the new union was out
lined, and organizers will be sent among
them at once. A vigorous warfare will be
waged against the knights of Labor, and
everything possible will be done to further
the interests of the new union. While the
miners will have nothing to do with the
new order now being organized by I. B.
Barry, they will maintain friendly relations
with that organization.
AT the meeting the situation among the
Monongahela river miners was discussed.
From the reports read it was found that
along the whole river there is not one-half
a hundred coal miners working. The only
works doing anything is Risher's, which are
running about two days per week.
The situation is becoming more distress
ing and the prospects more gloomy as the
announcements of new strikes are made
back in the country, on the railroads. On
Saturday between $50 and 400 men went out
at the Eclipse, Flohersheim's and Anderson
mines, on the Streets Run division of the
Baltimore and Ohio road, near CASTOR
vile. The employers notified the
men that they would have to
suffer a reduction of from 79 to "a cents. The
men held a meeting and telegraphed to John
Mcbride, National President of the new
union, at Columbus, O., for instructions. |
Mcbride notified them he could not come,
but advised them to remain firm and resist |
the reduction. The men all struck and the |
mines have been idle since.
There are between $500 and 5000 miners |
on the river. One-half of these are married, |
and the sufferings of some of their families
are 81, The officials talked of the dis
tressed condition, but from the reports of |
the stocks of coal at Cincinnati and other
places there is no immediate prospect
of a resumption Of work. 1t has been
stated that the present shutdown is move
on the part of the operators to pre- vent the
miners from asking for an advance in the
spring. 1t was stated at the meeting by
one of the officials that when the miners are
starving they can fight and stick out longer
in strike than at any other time.
Mr.. Penna went to West Newton last
night, where he addressed a meeting of
miners. The other officials will continue
the work Reorganization all along the river.
A mass meeting of delegates, to take action
IN the shutdown, was held at Monongahela
City yesterday.