Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-10
A GREAT STRIKE
Takes PLACE IN THE CONNsLLSVILLs OOKB
REGIONS YESTERDAY.
Thirteen Thoss2hd Workers IL That Section Lay
Down Their Tools, and More are Expected
TO GO Out TO-Day-Ths Industry
Viii Be Paralyzsd-Causs Of
the Tralb,e.


PITTsBURG, February 9.-Thirteen
thousand workers in the ConnellSville
coke region have laid down their tools
Since Saturday no coal has been
mined in any Of the pits Of the Frick.
SchoOnmaker or Mcclure companies,
aud since that time no one but coke
drawers are at work.
Miners, tipplemen, drivers, cagerS,
rope riders, chargers and all other en-
ployeS, save few who are making
ready for the siege, and the drawers
mentioned, are idle. They number prob
ably Is, 600 men and boys. The strike
or suspension IS therefore fairly inaug-
urated and its duration is merely con-
lecture.
The operators are as firm to-day for a
reduction OF the present wage scale rs
when they first asked it: the workers,
too, are just aS lirm, according 10 the
leaders, as when they refused to listen
to talk OF reduction. Mr.. Frick said
this afternoon that the operators can
say nothing more in the matter The
condition OF business is too well known
10 need further comment; the operators
cannot produce coke at the late cost un-
der the circumstance. When the mar
ket warranted an advance, the coke
workers participated in 1t, but now that
reduction is necessary, they refuse to
accept IL, and there was nothing else TO
do. but suspend operations. No one un-
dertakes 10 predict how long the strike
will continue.
Workers say they are well prepared
for the strike. They and their officials
declare they can maintain 1t for period
Of nearly three months before any one
will suffer. AT the last strike, July,
1889, men and houses over nearly AL
| the NoughiOgheny region, were stoned
| by HungarianS, because the men, under
confusion of orders from their leaders
returned to work. There has been no
such trouble as yet, and both workers,
leaders and operators are on the alert TO
prevent any depredations.
There are In the COnncllSyille coke
regions more than 10000 coke ovens In
20 different plants, exclusive OF 300
ovens being built by the Mcclure Com
pany. OF the ovenage, the II. c. Frick
Company owns nearly 10000 ovens and
large percentage OF the coal lands OF
the region.
1t remarkable the change that takes
place In this region in so short period
rs twelve hours. At the same hour
thousands of wage-earncrS have left
work. The noise Of dumping coal, the
rumble of larreS and railway trains
sto.. and by tomorrow the black smoke
that is won't to roll from the ovens will
have vanished, aud the entire region
will be as quiet is a farming commun-
ity. Ovens now in blast are only com
pleting the burning OF coal charged
Saturday. Coke drawers, probably B.
900, are only waiting until this coal Is
baked, then IL will be drawn, and the
entire region will be in idlencsS.
A dispatch from Dunbar says: "The
cokers in this section are not prepared
for strike and are very 10th to come
out. Reid Bros. works, Mahoning, At
las aud Great Bluff are all charging to-
day, and miners are at work. The ma
jority are willing TO remain at work II
permitted to do so. The Anchor draw
ers are pulling their last ovens to-day,
the miners there having quit work Sat
urday evening"
The Mah0nng and Atlas plants are
operated for the Cambria Iron Company
and consist Of 100 and 80 ovens respect
lively. Great Bluff, owned by Hum
phries. has rs ovens, and Uniondale,
owned by Reid Bros, has -, total oil
20 ovens.
Saturday. December 81, the annual
preliminary conference between repre-
Sentatives Of the operators and the work
ers scale committee was held. AT this
time the scale committee of the workers
presented their scale for the year, com
mencing tomorrow. The scale was re-
ceived and the conference adjourned
after brief discussion. The workers
scale asked an advance OF about l2is
per cent, and provided that all coal
mined be weighed instead Of measured
/ in pit wagons. and that the hours he
eight instead OF nine.
January 3, on behalf Of the operators,
j. i. Brennan and John McFadyen for
| the operators explained their objections
TO the scale. and refused absolutely to
accept it. James keegan and Michael
Barrett for the Scale Committee, replied
that the scale would not be amended.
They denied that to provide scales
would prove 4 hardship to operators.
and failed to see with the operators their
gloomy view of the business situation.
A second conference was held last
Monday. At that time the operators
astonished the miners by demanding a
reduction of 10 per cent. on all classes OF
labor A free discussion ensued. Gen
eral Manager Lynch. of the Frick Com
pany. was absent, probably on account
Of the Mammoth disaster. Before the
conference adjourned propositions for a
temporary continuance Of work were
made and refused by each side, and
finally. since no terms or compromise
could be agreed upon, it was deter
mined TO adjourn indefinitely. Now.
the current wage scale expires, and the
total stoppage of work is the conse-
quencc. There are now no negotiations
pending.