The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-07-06
THE STRUGGLE ON
Great Wage Contest Between
Miners and Operators Now
Fairly Begun.
impossible as Yet to Tell How
Many Have Oheyed the Order
-,-'' to Quit.
Duration of the Strike Will De-
Duration of the Strike Will De.
pend Almost Entirely OH
Circumstances.

PiTTsBURG, July 6.-The great wage
struggle of the coal miners was inau-
gurated throughout the Pittsburg dis.
trict Monday, but it is as yet impossible
tell anything about the situation on
count Of the national holiday. By
,reconcerted arrangement Of the dis
trict executive board of the United
Mine Workers. meetings were held in
nearly every mining settlement that was
Mt Saturdays convention in this city,
and the miners were implorcd not to
falter in the great struggle.
What effect the meetings will have
cannot be determined until it is learned
just how many men refuse to so to
work. Much doubt is expressed as to
the action of the Pittsburg and Chicago
miners on the Wheeling division of the
Baltimore and Ohio, NJ. \. Hanna &
Cos. miners on the Pan Handle. who
are working at the present rate under
al ironclad contract, and the New York
and Cleveland miners at Turtle creek,
Plum creek and Sandy creek.
The miners officials claim these men
will strike, and the operators say they
will not In speaking of the strike,
President Dolan said:
THE coming week will be a busy one.
/ have every reason to believe that with
the exception Of a very few mines, the
suspension will be general Our men
realize that this is the fight of their
lives, and from the expressions of de-
termination that hear on all sides, I
have every reason to believe the strike
will be successful. How long will it
last: That is a difficult question to an
swer. But Of one thing you can rest
assured. We are in good shape to stay
all summer. BY good shape, mean we
have warm weather and prospective
big demand for lake trade coal in sight,
which makes the time much more op-
perfume than in winter.
''There is general impression that
by reason Of SO many industries being
shut down, there will be little demand
for coal 1t is not generally known,
but the supply of coal for the manufac-
tories in the Pittsburg district is but a
drop in the bucket when compared with
the lake trade, which supplies the mar.
ket where coal mines are practically un.
known
The general suspension to those in a
position to know, presents some very
discouraging features. The past winter
has been severe on the mining craft.
Business has been very dull, and in ad.
dition the lowest rate ever paid in the
district prevailed for the little work
that was done Women and children
have been sufferers nigh onto starvation,
and many Of them have been
wards Of the county. With
spring the conditions were a little
improved, and during the past month
many mines have been running contin.
uously. What little has been earned
has been used in paying debts contracted
during the reign Of semi.starvation. II
is expected at the meetings to make al
effort to convince the miners that by
reason Of the suspension being general
victory is bound to follow. It will be
argued that the public is in favor of the
miners being paid higher price, and
that the general support will be forth
coming.