Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-07-08
THE GREAT STRIKE.
The Struggle of the Coal Miners
Inaugurated at Pittsburgh.
MINERS At CHATTANOOGA, TENN.
The Situation in That District Very Fever
ish--lllinols Miners Strike-Indiana
Miners IndOrse the Strike
and Go Out.

and Go Out.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, July 6.-The great
wage struggle of the coal miners was
inaugurated throughout the Pitts.
burgh district yesterday. 1t was a
day OF mass meetings. BY precon.
certed arrangement of the district ex-
ecutive board of the United Mine
Workers, meetings were held in nearly
every mining settlement that was rep
resented at Saturdays convention in
this city, and the miners were in.
structed not to falter in the great
struggle that has begun.
What effect the meetings will have
cannot be determined yet. When it is
learned just how many men refuse to
go to work then the magnitude of the
strike will manifest itself. Much
doubt is expressed as to the action of
the Pittsburgh and Chicago miners on
the Wheeling division of the B. & NJ,
the M. A. Hanna company's miners on
the Panhandle who are working at the
60-cent rate, under an ironclad con-
tract, and the New York and Cleve-
land miners at Turtle creek, Plum
creek and Sandy creek. The miners
OF these claim the miners will strike
and the operators say they will not,
The general suspension, to those in
a position to know, presents some very
discouraging features. The past win
ter has been severe on the mining
craft. Business has been very dull,
and in addition, 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 i'm
proved and during the past month
many mines have been running con-
tinuously What little has been made
was used in paying debts contracted
during the reign of semi-starvation.
1t is expected at the meetings to-day
to make an effort to convince the min
ers that by reason of the suspension
being general victory is bound to fol-
low 1t will be argued that the public
is in favor of the miners being paid
higher price, and that general support |
will be forthcoming.
The success of the whole movement
seems to devolve upon the men in the
Pittsburgh district, and judging from
the latest advices received from the
field the miners there propose to do
their part So far as can be learned
the operators in both the Pittsburgh
and Ohio districts do not intend to put
forth any effort to start their mines,
but have concluded to quietly close
down and await developments. At
least 1t will require several days for
operators to determine upon what
course to pursue.
MINERS AT CHATTANOOGA, TENN.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, July G.--The
miners in the Chattanooga district are
all at work, but the situation is very
feverish At lockwood, Dayton and
other points, the men recently accepted
1 reduction, siLce which time they
have not appeared to be satisfied. The
men in this district are usually con-
rolled by the action of the Soddy
miners and there has been no DISPOSE
ion at that point to go out. The men
1t Soddy are controlled by conserva-
i've leaders. one OF whom yesterday
aid that it was impossible to tell what
hey were going to do. They are very
Iuiet and are not talking but there is
IN undercurrent of dissatisfaction
hat may at any time terminate in
trike which will be followed by all
he other miners in the district.
ILLINOIS MINERS STRIKE.
MORRIS, ILL.,, July 6.-ln compliance
With the general order the miners of
he Wilmington coal fields, including }
II Grundy county miners, went on a
trike yesterday, The Bracevile mi I
ers decided to square up places refus- d
lg, however to load coal Some Ital- q
~ | Il