The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-07-07
100000 MINERS
Drop Their Picks and Demand An
Increase in Wages.
WILL LAST SEVERAL WEEKS
The MIN { lain TO Be in Good Con-
ditiOn for Long Battle and
Will. Win or Starve.
PRIEST. RATCHFORD's VIEWS.

COLUMBUS, o., July 5.-Telegrams re-
ceived by President Ratchford of the
United Mine Workers indicate that the
order for general strike of the miners
has been complied with generally
throughout the mining districts Of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois and western Pennsyl-
vania and in sections of West Virginia
and Kentucky. 1t will take several
days, however, to determine with any
degree of accuracy the number of men
involved. President Ratchford roughly
estimates the number at 100000, but
this is regarded as very liberal.
He is pleased with the unanimity
shown by the miners and says that he
has the greatest confidence in the sue
cessful outcome of the strike. He thinks
the prospects are better than in 1894,
when general strike was inaugurated.
At that time the scale of prices was be-
ing paid in many mining localities,
notably West Virginia, where a major
ity of the miners continued at work and
thereby greatly weakened the strike.
He has hopes that the West Virginia
miuers may now be brought into line,
inasmuch as they are receiving wages
far below the scale and their condition
is not any better than that of the miners
i'll other states.
The coal production of West Virginia
has increased SO rapidly i'll the last few
years that the output of that state now
exceeds the output of Ohio. During
the strike Of 1894 trouble was caused by
the shipment of West Virginia coal
through Ohio, the Ohio miners en-
deavoring to stop the traffic. The rail-
road companies promptly appealed to
the state for protection, and almost the
entire Ohio national guard was placed
in the field. President Ratchford does
not believe there will be any repetition
of these troubles in the present strike.
Special efforts are to be made to enlist
the sympathy of the West Virginia
miners. President Ratchford is en-
couraged to believe that this may be
accomplished by the fact that the
miners have signified their intention to
strike in many places where efforts to
enlist their CO cooperation have failed on
previous occasions.
President Ratchford has received tel.
egrGms from a number Of Pittsburg op.
orators asking permission to operate
their mines at scale prices These re-
quests are all emphatically refused, as it
would work an injustice not only to
other operators but their miners as
well.
AS to the probable duration of the
strike, President Ratchford says that
will be governed entirely by circum-
stances 1t will last several weeks at
least. The miners are in better posi-.
ton to withstand long strike at this
time, as a great many of them have
garden products on which to subsist,
and there will be no great hardships en-.
tailed such as would follow a strike in
the winter. The fact that there is fair
supply of coal in stock and the demand
for domestic consumption is small will
have tendency to prolong the strike.
The contracts for coal for lake ship
ment will cause the greatest trouble.
The bulk of these contracts are held by
Pittsburg operators, but the Ohio oper-
ators also have fair share. The Ohio
operators have not yet held confer
ence to consider the matter but are con-
siderably worried. While they say the
strike is i'll timed and likely TO fizzle
out they will close down their mines
for a short time, at least until they can
determine now general the suspension
is. A partial suspension only in the
Pittsburg district would be ruinous to
their business, should the Ohio miners
refuse to work.