The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-02
MONSTER STRIKE OF MINERS.
A CALL TO BRING 2SO,OOO MEN OUT
NEXT WEEK.

All the BituminOus Miners in the
Country InNOIved-EnfOrcem Of
the Columbus Scale the object OF
the StruggIe-The Secretary of the
United Mine Workers of Illinois
Describes the Condition of the
Men in That state as Worse Than
That OF the Starving Cubnns.
Terre Haute. Ind, July 1.-The Express
will say tomorrow; Next Sunday, or
prior to that day, circulars Will be placed
in the hands of all the bituminous miners
in the United States, calling them out on
strike. II Is estimated that 100000 men will
be involved. Pennsylvania. Ohio. Indiana,
Iilinois\and parts of West Virginia and
Kentucky will contribute to the move
ment. The strike is to enforce the Column
bus scale of 50 cents per ton for Pennsyl-
vania; 60 cents for Ohio; 60 cents for In
diana and 55 cents for illinois, When the
Columbus scale was adopted, II was not
thought advisable to attempt its enforce
ment. committee was then appointed
to take in hand a strike and order one as
soon as such a course seemed opportune
This committee has decided that the time
has come to act"
Streator, ILL.,, July IA mass
meeting of miners to-day voted
unanimously to go on strike now and not
wait for a general suspension order. AS
a consequence, no coal is being mined
here, and nearly 1000 miners are idle
Braidwood, ILL.,, July 1.-The miners OF
the entire Wilmington field met at Glack-
ems Grove to-day and decided, by an unan-
imous vote, to go on strike when the ma
tional officers shall order a suspension of
work.
Chicago ILL.,, July 1-W. d. Ryan. sec
retary OF the United Mine Workers of
Illinois, has written an open letter to SEN
ator Mason, which says: THE stand
taken by you in behalf of the patrolts In
Cuba deserves the commendation of all
nberty-loving people; but let me call your
attention to the condition of 40,C00 of your
constituents, the coal miners of Illinois
The insane competition inaugurated by
the coal operators has brought about a
condition Of suffering and destitution
which was never equalled. We have been
forced to accept reduction after reduction,
until the price now paid Is so low that
the miners cannot earn an average of rs
cents day, and the mines work only half
time. Taking an average OF a dollar
day and three days work a week, a miner
earns $l2 month. With a family OF five
fair average-the wife has less
than cents for meal, to say
nothing of clothes, rent, etc / doubt II
any more lives have been lost In Cuba
since the insurrection commenced than in
the mines of Illinois during the same time,
and / am certain there are no more wo-
pen and children hungry in Cuba at pres
ent than among the families Of the min
ers of Illinois. DO something TO put the
idle miners of Illinois to work at a fair
rate of wages, and / will guarantee that
every miner in Illinois will contribute at
least one days wages every week for the
benefit of the downtrodden people OF
Cuba"
Joliet, ILL.,, July IA telegram tonight
from McGlackens Grove, near the Bradl-
wood, ILL.,, coal fields, gives the following
confirmation of the report that there WIN
be a general strike of the miners of nli-
nois: "The miners in every place in ths
northern district agree 10 come out In the
national suspension. All the miners viii
lay down their tools when the call is made