The record-union., 1897-07-06
The Great Struggle Inaugurated in
the Pittsburg District.
Meetings Held Yesterday in Nearly Every
Mining Settlement.
impossible to Tell Anything of
the Situation Until To-day,
Work Having Been Suspended
Yesterday on Account of the
Holiday.

PlTTSBURG, July 5.-The great wage
struggle OF the coal miners was inaug-
u1ated throughout the Pittsburg district
to-day, but it will be impossible to tell
anything about the situation before to-
morrow, as this is a general holiday. and
work is suspended in all of the mines of
the district.
by preconcerted arrangement of the
District Executive Board of the United
Wine Workers, meetings were held to-
DAY IN nearly every mining settlement
tnat was represented at Saturdays con-
Ventlon in this city, and the miners were
instructed not to falter in the great
struggle that has begun. What effect the.
| meetings Will have cannot be deter
mined until Tuesday morning, when it
is learned just how many men refuse to
work, then the magnitude of the strike
Will manifest itself
Much doubt lis expressed as to the
action of the Pittsburg and Chicago
miners on the Wheeling Division of the
Baltimore and Ohio; the M. A Hanna
Companys miners on the Panhandle,
who are working at the 6O-cent rate.
under an ironclad contract, and the
New York and Cleveland miners. at
Turtle Creek, Plum Creek and Sandy
Creek. The miners officially claim
these men will strike and the operators
say thev will not.
President Dolan said to-day: 'I have
every reason to believe that with the
exception of a very few mines the sus-
pension will be general. Our men real
ize that this is the fight of their lives,
and from the expressions of determina-
ton that l hear on all sides, l have rea-
son to believe the strike will be success
full. We are in good shape to stay out
all summer. BY good shape [ mean we
have warm weather and a prospective
big demand for lake coal trade in sight,
which makes the times much more op-
perfume than in winter"
The general suspension presents very
discouraging features. The past win
ter 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
will be done. Men, women and children
have been sufferers well nigh onto star
walton, and many of them have been
wards of the county. With spring the
conditions were little improved, and
during the past month many mines have
has been earned was used in paying
debts contracted during the reign of
semi i-StarVatiOn.
At the meeting to-day an effort was
made to convince the miners that by
reason of the suspension being general,
victory was bound to follow. 1t was
argued that the public is in favor of the
miners being paid higher price, and
that general support will be forthcom-
Ing.
SITUATION IN ILLINOIS.
MORRIS Qll.), July 5.-In compliance
with the order the miners of the
Wilmington coal fields, including all
Grundy County miners, went on strike
to-day. The Braceville miners decided
to square up places, refusing, however,
to load coal Some Italians at Carbon
Hill refused to strike, and in conse-
quence a mine was partially operated
to-day. Other mines have practically
been on strike several days. The strike
promises to be a long one.
EXPECTANT OFFICIALS.
COLUMBUS (O), July 5.-The Ma
tfonal mine officers were at headquar-
ters to-day to catch stray bulletins
which may come in. President Ratch
ford is confident West Virginia miners
will fall into line in a day or two.
'They are demoralized and disorgan-
ized," said Mr.. Ratchford, "and when
they see the magnitude Of the strike
they will catch the condition and quit
He continued: '"rhe miners of the
different localities met to-day, not to
decide whether to strike or not, but to
arrange for the mana cement of the
strike in their respective localities. The
national officers must wait on the dis
trict Presidents and the latter must
wait on the meetings. Yesterday and
to-day not being working days, the
strike really begins tomorrow. 1t will
be several days before reports come
in."
STRIKE INDORSED.
COLUMBUS (O), July 5.-The min
ers at Gloucester, Ohio, have indorsed
the strike.
STILL WORKING.
PEORIA QlL), July $50 far as can
be learned. not any of the coal miners
in this vicinity have quit work yet or
signifed their intention of so doing
NO STRIKE ANTICIPATED.
OTTUMWA Qa.), July 5.-All miners
in this district are working. They are
poorly organized. No strike is antic-
ipated by the operators.