The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-03
Prospects Of an Entire Suspension in Soft
Coal mining Districts.
CAN STAND NO More REDUCTION
Compensation Has Been Reduced to
Such an Extent That 1t Is Almost
Impossible for the Miners to Exist.
It Is Thought That General Strike
Will Have the Effect of Elevating
Prices-Mass Meeting at Phillips
burg Last Evening.
1,nlI11psnL1nG Pa AM

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mn follows: A complete suspension
W in the Houzlale and Osceola
iisri3ts, with 5000 men on strike
against the reduction. A mass meet
ing is being held tonight in Phillips.
burg, with delegates present from
Roulz lale and Osceola. aud il is AL
most certainty that a vote to sus-
pend work in the Beech Creek district
will carry and 5000 more men added
to the number now on strike.
Delegates from the Clearfield region
at Dubois are arranging for mass
meeting in order to bring out the men
In the Dubois. Reynoldsvills and
Punxsutawney districts in which 5000
miners are employed.
CONCERTED ACTION DESIRABLE.
There is partial suspension of min,
ing In the Cambria county coal fields,
and those at work are awaiting the ac-
lion of the Beech Creek and Dubois dis.
tricts. To this suspension tho district
and national officers Of the miners'
organization arc emphatically opposed,
thvir desire being that ths men should
continue at work until the meeting OF
the national convention at Colum-
bus on April 10 when, If thu
reports Of the delegates from southern
and western coal fields are favorable,
general suspension of soft coal min
ing throughout the United States will
be made, in the hope of advancing
the price of coal to such an extent
that the operators can afford to pay
better wages to the miners.
The operators in the Clearfeld and
Beech Creek regions say they are op-
posed TO making the reduction, but that
they cannot afford to pay higher
price for mining than ther COM
pstitors Tbs position of the
miners is that at 40 cents a grops
ton for digging low coal it is
impossible for them to make a living,
the assertion is also made that If this
last 10 per cent. reduction is accepted
the competition between the operators
for orders will lead them TO make an
other cut in wages.
TROUBLE FEARED AT UNIoNToWN,
PITTSBURGH, Pa, April "A special
from Uniontown, Pa, to the Times
says the coke strike really began today
at more than half the works in tho re
gion and large numbers Of Frick men
refused to 90 to work this morning in
contradiction to the expressed belief of
that company and general opinion. At
least 8. 900 Of the 5000 men at work in
the region struck this morning.
The first call on the sheriff OF Fay
cite county for protection was made by
the Oliver Coke and Furnace company
just north of this place, where 600
men are employed, and the company
had been assured the men would not
strike. The trouble began early this
morning when a number of the Eng
lish speaking workmen went in the
yard to draw coke. The foreign ele-
ment Mt once raided them and drove
them off
This firm has 1, 500 tons of coke in
the ovens ready to be drawn which will
be spoiled in few days. Sheriff Will
helm was called on for deputies to
protect tho men who wanted to work,
but said the company must put up the
cash to pay them before they are sworn
in
Shortly before noon TODAY the strik-
ers marched upon the Elm Grove
works OF the W. J. Rainey company
armsd with guns aud clubs. The
workmen were driven away after a
fierce battle with stones and clubs.
Several Of the workmen were hit by
flying missiles from the ghands Of the
strikers W. j. Rainey dispatched for
the sheriff, who was soon on the
grounds.
wINCHEsTERs APPEAR
Fifty deputies were sworn in and
armed with Winchesters. Tomorrow
morning trouble is looked for at these
works. The Meyer works of the same
company waa oporat today and the
Elm Grove works will try and start
again tomorrow. Here the first struggle
will likely take place, seventy five
Hungarians having struck at the for
mer place today. Rainey said tonight
that any attempt to drive the men
from the plant wculd be accompanied
with bloodshed, as he expected to pro-
tect his workman.
AT Morreli and Wheeler whore the
riot occurred this morning forty depu.
ties were sworn in this evening.
Twenty-Five deputies were sworn in ut
Oliver and Sheriff Wilhelm went to
Vanderbilt tonight to station deputies
at all ths works in that region. The
operators throughout the region are
guarding their property.
Tomorrow 10 expected to be lay Of
general rioting and disorder, and men
will be driven from every plant where
they show disposition to work. The
foreign element met here tonight in
large numbers to discuss the situation
They decided to compel all foreigners
in the region to join the strikers.