The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1897-09-18
To JOIN THE STRIKERS
NEARLY TEN THOUSAND MEN HAVE
GONE OUT AROUND HAzELTON.
Alarming Rumors of the Early
Morning Brought No Serious
Disturbance.

Hazelton, Pa, Sept. l5.-Despite va
riety of alarming rumors and morning
movement by body of miners which
looked formidable yesterday passed with
out serious disturbance in the strike re-
gion Matters wear such an uncertain
aspect, however, that General Goblin de
clares that the removal of the troops or
any portion of them has not been con
templated.
The strike itself is spreading with
great rapidity. Exact estimates of the
number of men who have quit work are
hard to obtain, but conservative figures
place it close to 10000, with indications
that in short time every colliery of
Importance in the region will be idle. Al
though some disposition has been shown
by small bodies of strikers in the outly-
ing districts to make demonstrations,
they have been of a rather feeble char
acter and the great majority of the men
are docie
Several hundred miners from Buck
mountain marched on the Eckley mines
and brought out the men there. A few
of the men who showed a disposition to
continue work We're roughly handled,
and the mine superintendent, fearing
trouble, wired to General Goblin for
troops He also sent word to Drifton,
and 20 deputies from that place and Roam
junction, nearby, were sent over They
kept themselves under cover at Eckley,
however, awaiting developments. Moth
ing further happened. Meanwhile the
cavalry troops were sent by General Co
bin, and had wearisome march over
the mountains only to find everything at
Eckley peaceful.
The day had scarcely opened before
another annoying story came to brigade
headquarters by telephone. 1t was to the
effect that a gang of miners from Drift
ton had marched on colliery No. at
Jeddo, with the expressed intention of
bringing the men out. Upon reaching
the colliery John Markle, the superinten-
dent met them, and after conference
with the men at the mines, succeeded in
turning them off without trouble. This
was the only incident of the day which
partook of the nature of demonstra-
ton.
Meeting of strikers.
AT Latimer a largely attended and de
cisive meeting of strikers was held to
receive the answer of the company to
their demands. With large body of
strikers gathered in the open space be
fore the company's store, Superintendent
Blake came to the door and gave them
their answer
1t was short and to the point, and it
was met with action equally as decisive
The demands had been formulated as fol-
lows:
1--WE desire and wish the privilege of
buying our provisions where we think
proper, instead of being forced to buy
at the cOmpany's store; we want a 20 per
cent advance on all classes Of labor; we
demand the dismissal of all parties who
took part on last Friday, September 10,
in the shooting affray; we demand that
all classes of labor be paid the same for
rock as for coal on idle days; we demand
that no man shalt be discharged for act
ing on this committee"
The COmpany's Answer,
The company's answer to this was:
First, that the men are not and never
have been obliged to buy exclusively at
The company store; secondly, that the
advance would not be granted because
the company was paying the average rate
of the region; third, the company abso-
lutely refused, without assigning any
reason, TO discharge anybody who par
ticipated in the shooting fourth, that
the men suspended on idle days have
the privilege of taking some other per
sons place, thus making good the differ
ence in the rate between rock and coal
work; and fifth, that no man shall be
discharged for acting on the committee.
Superintendent Blake made special
speech to the men, urging them to return
to work, arguing that they could gain
nothing by remaining idle. what dc
you say" he concluded; will you come
back?"
There was a moments buzz and a
chorus of mol" was the reply.
The superintendent attempted no fur
Their persuasion and the men dispersed.
The mountain journey of the cavalry
to EclIley, although agreeably disappoint
ed of its purpose, had a salutary effect in
that it deeply impressed the miners with
the extent of the military power.
AT DriftOn the officers visited the main