The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-02-10
TEN THOUSAND OUT.
60 BE FOLLOWED BY 5000
MORE TO-DAY.
B:nodshed at Coke works-One Man
So Badly Injured that he VIII
Probably Die-Causes of
the Big strike.

pI7TsBunG, Feb. 9.-The great strike
in tho Connellsville region has prac-
tically been commenced, though 1t
will not be formally declared on until
Tomorrow night, when 10000 men
will have quit work. Simultaneous
with tho strike for an increase OF about
12% per cent. In wages, the coke opexe
sttors will order shut down because
the men will not submit TO 10 per
cent. reduction. There wus no attempt
at u compromise to-day, nor is there
any hope of nm eleventh hour settle-
ment Only the coke drawers re-
manned at work to-day, the miners of
the H. @. Frick Company, Cambria
Iron Company, and other large CON
Germs having considered themselves
on strike when they quit work on Sat
urday night. They have all taken
their tools home with them. About
10000 men have already struck, COM
prising the miners. The coke draw
ers number 5000 and will strike to-
morrow. There Is some doubt as to
the attitude of the /, 100 employees Of
w. j. Rainey the Cleveland coke oper-
ator, who are independent OF the
United Mine Workers, bnt the strikers
claim they will join In the struggle.
There was riot yesterday at Rainey's
Fort Hill Coke Works. A number OF
drunken Hungarians attacked Yard
Boss Snyder and beat him unmerci-
fully. They also beat man who was
assisting Snyder SO badly that his
death is momentarily expected. No
arrests have yet been made, but war.
rants have been sworn out. 1t Is said
that the fight was precipitated by the
present wage difficulties. 1t Is under
TODD that the small operators, who
have yainly endeavored to arrange n
truce until March l. will now join with
the more powerful concerns and resist
the miners to the end. The only plant
allowed by the strikers to run Is the
Fountain, which supplies the Scottdale
Rolling Mill, and this arrangement is
only temporary, TO prevent an imme-
diate shut down OF the iron works. In
the vicinity of Dunbar the cookers are
reported not to be prepared for a
strike, and are very loath to come out.
Reid Brothers works, Mahoning, Atlas
and Great Bluff were all charging to.
day as usual, and miners arc at work
Tho majority are willing to remain at
work Ii permitted to do so.
WHAT MIR. FRIcK SAYS. =
II. c. Frick, whose company owns
two-thirds of the ovens In the region
said to-day that the operators could
DA9 hoeillitE iAi tilO ullttlLcI' AutS tdH
not produce coke at the cost of tht
past year under the circumstances
When the market warranted tho adj
vance the coke workers participated ir
1t, but now that reduction Is neces
sary they refuse to accept 1t, and there
was nothing to do but suspend opera
tons. Workers say they are we'll pre-
pared for tha strike, Their official:
declare thoy can maintain it Tor nearly
three months before any one Will sui
fer, During the last strike, July, 1882
men and houses over nearly all thC
Youghiogheny region were stoned by
Hungarlans because the men, under d
confusion OF orders from their leaders
returned to work. There has been nc
such trouble as yet, and both workers
loaders and operators are on the alert
toprevent any depredations.
There are about 1900 ovens in tht
Connellsyilie region, distributed among
come seventy plants. The past $eai
has been phenomenally prosperous
all previous records for steady work
good prices and heavy shipments hav
ing been broken. Efforts TO avert hi
present strike have been In progress
since December 81 last, without sue
cess. Meanwhile the larger consumers
of coke, such as the Carnegies, havt
stacked sufficient coke to last so days
but the strike is likely In few week,
at farthest To cause tho suspension o.
dozens of iron works, east and west
and thus indirectly throw Thousands
more men into idleuess.