Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-13
A GREAT STRUGGL E.
Miners Strike Promises to Be
Greatest ii Our History.
Enters on Second Week With Miners
EIated at, Their Success.
Operators Pretend 10 81 Calm West Virginia.
miners still working.

beginning of the second week Of the
coal miners strike and already it gives
promise of being one Of the greatest
wage struggles in the history OF tnis
country. Eight days ago the coal oper-
ators in this district and the miners
themselves little dreamed that within
suspension could be wrought as now
exists in the bituminous mining in
dutry.
Then the mouth of the many coal
tipples that dot the Monongahela.
Youghicgheny, Allegheny and Peters
Creek valleys and the valleys of Toms
and Miller's run, We're open and turning
out thousands and thousands OF tons OF
the best coal that enters into the COM
pe.itive markets of the world.
Now all is changed. The vast caverns
are like SO many graveyards. On the
hillsides, baskfng in the shade. there is
an army Of $4,000 unemployed, who are
anxiously waiting for more to join the
troops of oilers. On nearly every rail-
read track leading to the mines there
stand empty cars. apparently anxious
to be loaded that their burdens may be
carried to the ports along the Lakes
The success that has attended the
movement has greatly elated the
aaaers. and during the next few days
very effort will be made to bring out
shc men in the few mines that are still
working. This viii be difficult task.
but they express confidence in their
abality to make the suspension COM
plete before the week lis rs hours old.
From the best information ob;ainable
he Pittsburg operators are In no hurry
10 have the difficulty adjusted. so
many of them had stocks on railroad
iidings which they held for an advance.
Much of this was disposed of. Satur-
lay. at a good profit. One prominent
perator said. today. that il would take
another week to determine the exact
state of the market and by that time
General cleaning up viii have taken
jlace. All mines will be ready to begin
business on a new basis and probably
1t higher price.
This whole thing will result in a
compromise" said another prominen;
operator. THE operators are in posi-
ion to stand it for some time, and
selieve the miners are in about the
ame condition. 1t looks as If business
ill brighten up. and in the event the
perators win be able to get better
,rices and the condition of business
nd the condition of the miner will be
simultaneously improved
Just now the greatest obstacle in the
ray of success if the miners is the
lctivity of the diggers in the West
Virginia fields They are working
.txrl,t 40, ~ :.
upply all the coal. that is needed. They
re repeating what they did. three
cars ago. when a general suspension
tas declared.
AT that time there were number of
.perators in the mountain state that
tere on the verge of bankruptcy. The
9eneral suspension was declared. and
here came great demand for coal, at
Tices that insured big profit. The
perators rallied around them a large
lumber of men, whose friendship and
upport they have encouraged ever
ince. The operators profitei by
thousands and thousands of dollars.
When the season had finished, and
he strike was declared failure. they
'alanced their books and found things
III the proper side of their ledgers
hey realized that they owed mach of
heir profit to their miners, and they
eWarded them for it. On every sue
'ee1ing payday the faithful miners
sere paid bonuses in the shape of goli
lieces and naturally the best of feeling
prevails among the employers and
employees.
The miners officials say that the sue
ess of the movement depends on the
tction of the West Virginia miners.
Ehey argued that many men in the
pittsburg district who were not affili-
tied with their organization sacrificed
thousands of dollars and joined it.
There are a number of operators in
he Pittsburg district who have ex-
'ressed a willingness to pay the price
demanded, but the miners have said
lay. They will insist that majority
# the operators in the district pay the
% per cent. or none.
This is the ultimatum of the ma
ional officials. from which there is no
appeal. 1t is known that some of the
miners officials would be glad to let
Ill the operators paying the 50 cent
cate operate their mines but cannot,
owing to the decision of the national
rflicials who desire to have all the sur
plus coal taken from the market