The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-04-23
Thousands Of Coal Miners In Various
Parts of the Country Lay Down
Their Tools.
Fplly 10000 Men I'm Twelve States
aud Territories Affected by
the WalkOut.
Many Trades Dependent Upon tht
Coal Industry Must Suspend
Operations.


strike, SO far as this district is con-
cerned at least, appears to be a success.
At.noon the 5000 men in the river dis
|ttict and the $500 in the railroad dis
tfict laid down their picks and, receiv-
ing their wages, quietly left the mines.
nispatches from the Clearfield district
report that the 1900 men there also
e9fnck, and that the mines are generally
closed In the Phillipsburg region. east
Of the mountains, ell the mines are idle.
The suspension in the Clearfield region
will enforce idleness upon 2,400 train
rR.n on the Buffalo, Rochester and
Rttsburg railroad.
la the Connellsville region the men
nre still at work, but the leaders expect
to have the entire region of $4,000 men
ont in few days. The leaders say there
| Iii no longer doubt as to the attitude OF
the men regarding the national strike.
They are au
LmrgeIy I'm Favor OF It,
Mhd nearly three-fourths OF them are
laxpected to lay down their tools. Dur
ling the past week the local leaders have
been working secretly among the en-
ployes OF every plant organizing them
for the strike, and report that they find
no opposition to the movement The
strike promises to be the greatest in the
history of the country. 1t will involve,
if as great as anticipated, nearly $50, 600
men, and will stop work in mines that
produced upwards Of 100, 600, 900 tons OF
coal last year in 12states and territories.
These miners received &5S, ,S09, ,827 in
wages in 1880, according to the 11th
census of the United States. In that
year lS9, 1856 produced 1880, 108 tons of
coal, valued at go, ,250, $3.50. Should the
strike be effective to the fullest extent
anticipated the effect upon the business
of the country will be intellectually In
jurious, as the strike will
| Enforce the Suspension
of many trades dependent upon the coal
industry, and may seriously effect the
operation Of the railroads Of the country
in the states where the miners will gc
out. The miners will strike for the res.
toration of the interstate wage agree.
ment, which was abandoned during the
summer, first, voluntarily by a small
number of miners in the Pittsburg dis.
trict and thus forced reduction In
every competitive district in the United
States.
Ii is admitted by both sides that the
success or failure of the whole strike de
pends ON the outcome of the movement
in the Pittsburg district. The average
price OF mining prevailing in the Pitts
burg district for the last six months hal
been 55 cents per ton. and in all othel
districts in the country in proportion.
Many operators in this district declart
that IL is impossible to pay the wages
asked by the miners, and say they arr
satisfied to permit the mines to remair
idle. But this does not represent thu
sentiment of all the operators, many o.
whom acknowledge that the wages de
manded could be paid If all would
keep faith and not seek an advantage.
Cambria sEsn ONT
Cambria county has 5000 miners
every one OF which went out at noon
Some of the Cambria county operator
tried TO induce the men to continue a
work. but promising to pay from thi
date whatever price may be hereaftel
fixed should the strike Le successful
but the men refused to accept sucl
terms. Thessm operators admit tina
the price Of mining ID too low, but the,
say they were forced by the larger com
panies To scale il down to meet prices o
coal. No one here feels competent I,
giyean opinion as to The outcome o
| the strike. 1t il generally admitted
however, that the miners will succee,
ii they can hold ont month. No dis
order has yet been seen in this district