Huntsville gazette., 1894-05-05

Sresldent Mcbride Issues His SecOns
Official Bulletin. Predicting "A Complet.
Victory At an Early Day III the MeI
Stand Uniteaiy Together, as They Havs
SO Far Done Review OF the Field.
COLUMBUS, O.. May 1.-The second
official strike bulletin was issued by
President Mcbride of the United
Mine Workess last evening. The fol.
lowing are the principal points:
The SUPPRESSION of mining has en-.
tered upon rs second week and under
more favorable circumstances than
when first started. The army of idle
mine workers now engaged in the
fight numbers over 100000 1t is now
conceded that there is not over "a, ,0Oe
miners at work in the entire bitumi-
nous coal fields of the country and from
nearly every local and general market
he cry for coal is heard; this is good
news to us and indicates that the end
will soon come.
From careful estimate made by us
we predict that, if you stand shoulder
to shoulder, as you now are, it will not
be long until there will not be coal
enough left in the general market to
boil tea kettle with and complete
victory will be yours
Already operators are offering to pay
the price asked, and in some instances
more than has been demanded, to get
men to resume work: but the men,
true to the orders issued by the ma
tiOnaI convention, refuse to work at
any price until a general settlement
has been made. If this effort succeeds,
and we feel certain it will, the future
will be brighter and more promising;
your power once having been demon
strated. you are masters of the situa-
tion and can command anything
within reason.
The latest figures given br the gov
ernment show that there were 343, 900
mine workers employed in and around
the anthracite and bituminous mines
OF this country; and the Coal Trade
Journal for 1898 estimates that last wear
there were As, 900, 900 tons of anthracite
and 10, 900. 600 tons of bituminous coal
produced. The great number of en-
ployes, the large tonnage and it's
incalculabie value in dollars and
cents and contributory service to
our countrys industries, but tend
to show the magnitude and i'm
portance OF our coal industry; and
when we consider the hardships and the
danger connected with the uncomforta-
BILE occupation of coal miners, whose
labor produces the fuel upon which
the countrY's industrial life and do
mestic happiness depends, it is not
asking too much from the owners
and operators of mines, nor from
the consumers Of coal, when we de-
mand living wages, bread and cloth
ing for the miners and their wives and
children.
Since our last report there has been
no desertions from our ranks, and the
only change has been in our favor and
this by reason of more men joining our
ranks. The southern Illinois field is
getting into line in good shape. The
Indiana block coal miners have joined
the movement and the entire state
may be classed as solid. The number
Of idle men in West Virginia has in
creased, but in the Fairmount district
the old rate of wages has been restored
and it is doubtful now as to whether
the men can be gotten out. Letters from
Iowa indicate that the state conven-
ton to be held at Abba on May will
most likely decide to stop the entire
state. The other states stand as last
reported.
A Pittsburgh tPa.) reporter to the
Cincinnati Enquirer and Cleveland (O.)
Leader, almost daily reports that the
strike is a failure, because 10000 or
10000 miners at Pocahontas, Va, re-
fuse to suspend work. The absurdity
of this statement will be seen when it
is known that the United States CEN
sus report gives the total number of
miners and mine employers in Vir-
ginia as only 1,555 and in West Vir-
ginia 9,952, total Of L ,507: and out of
this number there are $500 West Vir-
ginia miners out, leaving 7,OO7 at work
in the two states.
A BLOODY FIGHT