The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-17
KANSAS MINERS MAY STRIKE.
Sentiment Growing in Favor of Join
ing Their Eastern Brethren.

Kansas City, Mo-, July 17.-Agitation
favoring a sympathetic strike among
Kansas coal miners is becoming wide
spread over the Sunf1ower state. In all
districts throughout the state much act
ivity has been shown within the past
ten days, the miners working full time.
Some operators outside of the peniten-
tiary mines, it is Said threaten to send
coal into Illinois to supply the shortage
created there, and the miners, it is al
legged, have served notice that they will
strike if the coal goes east.
At Pittsburg. Kan, a mass meeting
of miners to decide the question has
been called for tonight.
AT Usage City, where a strong at
tempt is being made to get the men out
the sentiment seems to disfavor such
move.
The miners at that point are just now
having enough to eat for the first time
since January last, and they will doubt
less be slow in agreeing to starve them
selves again for the eastern miners who
refused to extend helping hand to the
Kansas men during their last strike.
Eastern miners have sent a request
to the Leavenworth men to come out,
but from present indications they will
not do so. Since the advent of the Pop
ulst administration all big state con-
tracts have been filled by the peniten-
tiary mines, and as a result this sum-
mer has been the poorest for many sea-
sons.
Since the eastern strike commenced.
idle miners have been put to work and
much coal is being shipped east from
the penitentiary mines. The demand is
so great, indeed, that much of it is be-
ing shipped away in box cars and the
miners have been promised steady work
if they remain in.
In case of a general strike the Pop
ulist state administra ton, it is said.will
not mine any coal at the penitentiary
for outside consumption. Just enough
will be mined, they say, to supply the
state institutions
Tel flI1
ing call has been posted up at the var
iouS mines in this district:
ITO the miners and mine workers of
Cherokee and Crawford counties: Be
ing advised from the different sections
of the district to issue call, here
by notify the mine workers, whether in
side or outside of the organized ranks,
that a convention will be held in Pitts
burg on Saturday, July II, 1897 at the
city hall at II a. m Each mine in the
district send one or more delegates and
come prepared to vote on the question:
Are YOU in favor of suspending with the
balance of the country or not?-A. Con-
cry general organizer U. M. w. of A.
and I. o. K. of L.
The majority of the miners say that
they are not in favor of a strike under
the present schedule prevailing in the
district and it is thought that the call
will not draw out much of an attend
ance and that the action, if any be ta-
ken will not have much weight among
the miners as class
The report has been circulated that
large shipments of coal are going from
here into the strike district, but the re-
mort is without foundation The miners
are working every day, but the increas-
ed demand is caused by the threshing
season in Nebraska, Kansas and Okla
homa. and not a pound of coal is being
shipped from here to any point east of
Kansas City aside from that going out
ON old contracts. All coal companies are
rushed with orders, and the miners are
s.,s
mated that there will be a sympathy
strike because of the refusal of assist
ance by the eastern miners during the
strike of 1893 in this district.
mer large Santa Fe coal properties,
says:
"'I shall not attempt to predict what
the miners in southern Kansas will do.
We are paying them 871z cents in the
summer and 95 cents in the winter a
contract. and should they see fit to