The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-21
GREAT STRIKE OF MINERS.
The United Mine Workers Obey the
Order to Quit Work.
REPORTSEROM STATES AFFECTED.

Su1lS 1Vt,VOV -hth W. out oh XIV
Day-In Ohio Alone 1t is Estimated
That More Than %, Quit Work
Spring Valley Men Eager For
the Fray, Though Ill Prepared.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Special).-The great
strike inaugurated under the direction
Of the officers Of the United Mine
Workers Of America has begun. As far as
known there has been no hostile demon
STATIONS. The miners have been cautioned
by their leaders not to use any unlawful
means to secure the success Of this strike
for higher wages.
practically all the mines in the State are
closed. Some Of the miners in the Jackson
and Shawnee districts are still working and
will remain in the mines for a few days to
await the action Of the Pittsburg district.
Owing to the fact that many mines have
Seen working on very short time, some Of
the districts Of Ohio present scenes but lit
tie different from those Of the past few
months.
Generally speaking, the miners are in
poor shape to stand a prolonged strike, n
II the suspension continues for any length
of time their want will result in making the
situation very serious. Many Of the Ohio
operators express a willingness to pay the
scale demanded by the miners provided the
Increase in made in the Pittsburg district.
All the Ohio operators ask is that the nine
cent differential in favor Of Ohio be main
tanned.
Reports indicate that the strike order
has been generally obeyed, except in West
Virginia, northwestern Kentucky, and the
Danville (Il.) district.
CLEVELAND, Ohio Especially. - Reports
from the mines operated from this point
indicate that ninety per cent. Of the $4,000
miners who are under direct orders from
Cleveland have thrown down their tools,
and that the larger part Of the remaining
ten per cent. have decided to quit work.
Never before IN the history Of mining in
Ohio have Cleveland operators confronted
20 great a strike as the present.
CHICAGO, Ill. CSpeciaD.-D espatches from
various points in Illinois and Indiana indi-
cate that the strike Of coal miners Is wide
spread. A despatch from Bloomington, ILL.,,
says that the miners of the Mclean County
Company decided to go out in obedience to
the general circular calling for suspension
of work. There is no dissatisfaction, and
The strike will be purely sympathetic. The
miners receive fifty cents per ton for dig
cling second vein coal and sixty cents for
shiId vein.
Representa- yes ofithe mines at Riverton,
Barclay and Spaulding got together and
unanimously decided to join the general
strike. At Dawson the miners also decided
10 quit work, and the movement is expected
70 spread through the Springfield district.
President Knight of the United Mine
Workers for Indiana, in an interview at
Terra Haute said that the Columbus re-
port to the effect that 375, 600 men will be
involved in the strike Is a gross exaggera-
lion. Ee estimates that the total number
of miners that will be idle will be between
ITO, 900 and 125, 900.
His figures are as follows: In Pennsyl-
Vania, %, 900; in Ohio, 25, 1000; in Indiana,
5000; in West Virginia, 10000, and in lii
nois, 81 5000.
SPRING VALLEY, Ill. (SpeciaD.-Good Or
der has characterized the conduct Of the
striking coal miners. The leaders will use
all means at their command to induce the
men to commit no violent acts. The men
number 1000, one-half of whom are non
English speaking. Apprehension OF trou-
BILE comes from what the foreign miners
may do toward the close OF the month.
There will be many families on the verge
Of starvation II aid is not extended them.
The county authorities will give no more
than "a O month to the families Of the
miners, and many of them will not get any
aid. II the suspension extends beyond four
weeks there will be restitution among two
thirds Of the miners in this section. At
Laid, q village near this city, the miners
are already applying for county aid.
The strike sentiment Is so strong that 1t
Is believed these men, masons, mechanics.
blscksmiths and carpenters, will be forced
to get in line. There is no section OF the
West which goes into the fight to a man as
have the miners Of the Spring Valley dis
trict, d none are so desperate.
The miners Of this city anticipated the
general strike order three days before 1t
was issued from Columbus, and at q mass
meeting placed themselves Oh record to
dig no more Experimentation coal
after July q. In every coal strike Spring
Valley maintains its old strike reputation
Of being the first out and the last in.
! INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (SpeciaD.-The pre-
Workers organization that the strike or
dered would be generally responded to in
Indiana was realized by the abandonment
of the mines in all the coal districts except
the county OF Clinton and one mine in
Green County where colored men are en-
ployed. At Brazil the block coal miners
had a large mass meeting, and unanimous
ly endorsed the action OF the meeting
which decided to strike.
So intense was the feeling that q request
by one miner that he be- allowed to prop up
his room, which was left without proper
supports was refused. There seemed to be
the heartiest accord among the miners IN
taking the step. The few who at first de-
serted were persuaded easily to join the
strike,
As a rule the strikers are not well pre-
pared for a protracted struggle, for few
of them have earned wages Of which any
thing could be saved, and the majority, no.
stably those having families, are in debt.
The mine owners believe that the strike
will not be attended by n la~wlessness.
P1rTsBURa (Spec.a).-Meetings OF coal
miners were held all over the Pittsburg dis
trict on July 1. Most Of the men seemed to
be in line for a strike. The miners In the
{. Clearheld district have agreed not to strike.
Senator Mark Hanna, Of Ohio, is now pay
ing the best wages in this district. He
gives his men sixty cents a ton for all coal
mined by them, while other operators pay
only ffty-four cents a ton. The iron-clad
contract, by the terms Of which ten per
cent. OF the miners wages is retained by
the firm, and forfeited by the miners in case
they strike, is id vogue at the Senator'S
mines.