Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-28
OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST
VIRGINIA MINERS TO QUIT.
DEMAND SO CENTS PER TON
DESPERATE STRUGGLE BETWEEN
MEN AND OPERATORS IN SIGHT.
Chief Grievance of Miners Is That
Thirteen Great Companies Have
Secured Control of All Dock
age-SmaII Companies
Frozen Out.

| Tittsburg. Pa. May 27.-The national ex-
| eCGtive board of the United MneworkcrS
| of America has decided TO order a general
| strike throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio and
| West Virginia. to secure the 90 cent rate
| for mining. The order is expected to be
| in the hands of the workmen within a
very few days.
More than 5O.O0O miners will be affected
| by the order and a desperate struggle be-
tween the men and operators will result.
The order it is said, has been decided on
because of the fact that thirteen of the
! large coal companies in the Pittsburg dis
| triCt have secured control of all the lake
| front dockage.
This year the conditions in the lake mar
ket are entirely different from what they
were in former years. Time was when the
smaller operators could market coal on the
lake front, but this year all has Deen
changed. Now they cannot dispose or any
coal unless it goes through the hands oil
the thirteen coal companies.
While the miners in the PittsburS DIS
trict have been battling against a reduc-
tion TO "a cents ton, the operators nave
been quietly at work on the lake fronts.
Every foot of dockage is now in the hands
of one of the thirteen companies, with
coal mined at 81 cents they would be in
virtual control of the market. and need
no. fear inroads by any OF the smaller
operators.
The companies having succeeded IN get
ting control of the docks are Mark \.
Hanna & Co, Ellsworth Coal Company,
CuGdy, Miller q Co.. the w. l.. Scott mines,
Ohio & PENNSYLVANIA Coal Company, Loon
Roll Coal Company. Osborne. Sager & Co,
Morgan. Moore & Balm, Pickands, Mather
& Co. W. p. Rend, Robbins Coal COM
pany, Pittsburg and Chicago Coal Com5
pany and the New York and Cleveland
Gas Company.
1t is claimed by the miners officials that
trade has been solicited at the 54-cent rate
The coal comes from Ohio, Pennsylvania
and West Virginia.
The Pittsburg district was the cause OF
much contention at the convention OF the
miners held in Columbus o., last January.
During the month of December preceding
the operators in this district offered the
mirers 60 cents ton during the months
of January and February and 60 cents the
following months. The local miners re-
fused to accept the offeF-. The question
was acted on by the national convention
and taken entirely out of the hands of the
Pittsburg district officials. 1t was referred
70 the executive board and they were given
pow er to act. They were instructed 10
make a demand for 81 cents at TIME
they thought proper.
tion for some time. During the past two
weeks NJ. ID. Gratchford, the national pres
ident. has been in the Pittsburg district,
aud has made a report to the board. Pat
rick Dolan president of the Pittsburg dis
trict. said last night that the board had de-
cided TO declare a strike in Ohio, Pennsyl-
Vania and West Virginia.
II have advised against a strike and can
ident Dolan last night. But since the eX-
ecutive board has taken the matter out OF
our hands. L have come to the CONCLUSION
that the miners of the PittsburG district
might just as well go down making strug-
gle for what is due them as Starving TO
death. The men in this district have be
come hardened to hunger and suffering, and
are in as good a condition to strike now
as they ever were.
'Tf they can succeed in cutting OF the
supply for the lake trade when ii opens. If
for short time only, there are good pros
poets of winning out On the face of 1t, 1t
is unfair to try to grind tho miners down TO
the "A cent rate. while the operators offered
them 60 cents the first of the year In the
coming battle ] believe we will have the
sympathy of many of the smaller operat-
ors. Just as sure as the operators having
control of the docks carry out their plans,
so sure will the sheriff have business with
the smaller ones. Their property will be
rendered valueless and their business gone
unless they come to the terms of the big
operators.
''I think we will be in shape to bring out
the men employed by nearly every coal
company in the lake front combination.
81 look upon the near future with dread,
and when the strike is once started no one
knows what the results will be-"