Evening capital., 1889-09-20
MINERS UUNyENlION
Miners Branch Knights Of Labor
Meets at Wilkesbarre.
REPREsENTIEa 100000 TOIERs


Delegates Present from All the Coal
Mining States = Membership Has Tn-
creased and Harmony Prevailed Dur
ing the Past Year-AIr PowderIy Adj
dresses Monster Mass Meeting.
WnKEsBARRE, Pa, Sept 20. - A
most important convention Of repre-
sentatiyes Of the miners branch Of the
knights Of Labor, embracing all the
coal and coke industries of the United
States, is in session at Jefemy's hall,
this city. The states OF Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Ohio. Virginia, Ken
.-essy, gazacescc Indiana, Kansas, Mis-
souri,, Iowa and Illinois are represented.
there being altogether twenty-four dele
gates, who are authorized to speak for
100000 workmen.
The officers in charge are John B. Rae,
Of Colemont, Pa, master workman;
Robert Lynn, of Kansas, worthy fore
man; Robert Watchorn, of Pennsylva-
mia. secretary and treasurer; l.. M.
Beatty, OF Ohio, venerable sage; w. B.
Wilson, OF Pennsylvania, worthy in
spector, and Thomas McQuade, Of In-
diana, esquire.
A Marked Increase OF Membership.
The reports of the officers show q
marked increase of membership during
the past year.
Speaking Of their relations with the
general office Of the Knights of Labor in
Philadelphia. Secretary Watchorn said:
"A year ago we were very much exer-
cised over what we were led TO believe
was an overbearing spirit on the part of
thn
of this district. It is my pleasure to
say to you that the very best of treat
ment has always been shown as by the
general officers during the entire year,
and up TO the present hour nothing but
words of advice and cheer and acts of
material beneficial kind have emanated
from the general office. and through
them we have been enabled to send
thousands of dollars to our starving
members at time when we we were
not conditioned to feed so great an
army.
Harmony Prevails.
"The officers and members Of the
various mixed districts have not quar-
relied with us, as was the rule in the
past, but have stood shoulder to
shoulder. and have tried to live in the
full enjoyment of the golden cord in our
tAldb AL W OuC 10 bktC
concern of all, and l trust this spirit
will be fostered, with view to the per-
petuation thereof, and that we shall yet
enjoy the fruition of our hopes, the i'm
prOvement of our craft by legislating
the mines into safer and healthier con-
dition, by the improvement of miners
homes, the erection of miners hospitals,
and also by the introduction of the best
known devices for the preservation of
life and limb.
Keep the Eight Hour Movement Alive,
1--WE should also unite our forces in
demanding, once for all, for every miner
fair measurement for their work, fair
treatment at the hands of their em.
ployers, and for a reasonable days worh4
keeping the eight hour movement until
they can claim it theirs by the majesty
of the law. There is vast field before
us. Tis ours to press on and seek to
unite every man who works in or about
the mines for the uplifting of the craft
and putting it in the ascendency among
trades and callings."
AT the afternoon session plans were
discussed looking to the reduction Of
the price of powder from 1910 and So to
a uniform price of 50 throughout the
anthracite region.
The miners mass meeting at Nanti-
coke last night was largely attended.
Addresses were made by Messrs. L. ".
Powderly, i. NJ. Barry and others.
Another mass meeting will be held in
this city tonight.