The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-10-23
SETTLEMENT NOT YET.
The Coal Mining Situation as Viewed
by a Miner.


Tuesday and Wednesday issued the
following circular to the miners and
mine laborers of Northern and Central
Pennsylvania:
At convention held in Clearfeld on
October 18th and 10th, 1895, it was
Resolved. that on account, of the fail
ure of the various operators in Northern
and Central Pennsylvania. to grant the
request of five cents per ton asked for
by the convention held at Philipsburg,
October ID, 1895, Therefore the miners
of these regions shall suspend work on
and after Saturday evening, October 10,
1895, unless the operators comply with
our demands or meet us in joint conven-
tion, and should the operators refuse or
fail to pay this advance on or before
November 1st, 1895, the demand shall
be increased TO 10 cents per ton.
1t was further resolved that no joint
convention shall be held unless three or
more operators shall agree to attend
the same. And no resumption of work
shall take place until all resume.
You are therefore respectfully re-
quested to do all in your power to comply
with the action Of the convention.
Up to last night all the mines in the
districts embraced in the above resolu-
tion had not suspended work. The
miners at this place think all the
mines in the district will suspend.
A mass meeting of the miners and
mine laborers of Reynoldsville and
Rathmel was held at the Fuller water
ing trough Friday forenoon to hear
report from the delegates to the Clear
field convention. The resolutions of
the convention were accepted by the
mass meeting.
The present committee of three was
given power to increase the committee to
nine English speaking men, one Italian
and one Slav to solicit aid for the men
during the present struggle.
Monday morning acommittee of three
English speaking men and one Slav,
who can speak two or three languages,
Of Reynoldsville, three or -four men Of
Rathmel and about four from Dubois,
started to the Pittsburg region to
solicit aid from the men OF that region.
Walter Ainsley. of Dubois, formerly
checlSweighman at Rochester mine,
who was a delegate at the Clearlield
convention, made the following state
ment in the Dubois Courier Monday of
this week:
81 am somewhat afraid that the position of
the miners is not as clear before the general
public as it ought to be. The Bell, Lewis *
Yates Coal Mining company have again re-
iternted It's former proposition. ! believe
the public understand the position Of the
company, as 10 has been stated several times.
But let our attentions 20 back to the reduc
tions OF last fall. When Pttsburg was re-
duced the company came 10 their employees
and stated that they, being competitors in
the same market rs Pttsburg, expected
from the nen under their company 20 allow
them the same privileges and that reduc-
tion in the price of mining was necessary in
order that they could compete In the same
market. Believing this to be the correct POSI-
ton OF the company at this time, the rcduc-
tion was therefore granted without murmur
or complaint. A second reduction was worked
upon the same plan and again the miners
granted IL. This brought us on AN equal
basis with the Plttsburg field. But | want
the public to know we suffered 10 cents per
ton Of a reduction in order that they could
compete with The pttsburg fields. The prop
osltion of the company which has been so
often reiterated OF last April compelled US
To bring up the Beech Creek and Clearield
region or the advance of cents per ton would
only last for one MONTH Now, seeing that
we are In direct competition with Plttsburg
that region receiving an advance, our gener-
Gus company wants the entire central an6
northern coal fields TO pay'the advance before
they will fall In line TO pay the same; yet
these fields were not reduced until the h., l.
& ". Coal company had reduced their men
We therefore believe that 1t is the duty o
this company TO he the first TO pay the ad
vance as they were the first to reduce.
snow regarding the situation rs 1t exists n
the present time: 1t was the general senti
mont OF the Clearield convention that Mr.. IA
Berwind wis the one that held the key to tn
entire situation The convention therefor
deemed 1t wise and prudent 10 seek an inter
view with the ''great ! am" The committe
who waited at the telephone returned upo
six different occasions and reported "unabl
TO find him." The convention believed tina
II II Joint convention of operators and miner
could be brought about the present troubl
pension would have been declared.
''There Is not n single intelligent miner Il
day throughout these fields who is aifecte
ut the present time by suspension, but whit
understands that the competition is kee
and operators have been known to 20 I'M
the market and take contracts at the cost
production. These operators have not d
pended upon the selling Of coal TO hoard 1
wealth. but have depended upon that glgal
Tic curse which Is 80 prevalent In our mids
called "pluck me stores" There Is but
small percentage OF operators but what ha,
X this system IN operation, and even men WI
have hut 80 or 40 miners working for thel
have these US n source of revenue. lnde'
the store System IN Central and Northe
pennsylvnnla has reached the acme OF inf
my. What with the store system ON one 81.
and the keen competition on the other. q
miners In many Instances have become y
recjpients OF public charity. We thereto
+ call upon tho press 70 neaist Us In wipinR 0
this curse which prevails amongst usto-das