The herald., 1897-07-12
THE STRIKE
OF MINERS
The Greatest Wage War
in History
GRAVEYARD QUIET PREVAILS
IN PLACE OF THE HUM OF
GRAVEYARD QUIET PREVAILS
IN PLACE OF THE HUM OF
INDUSTRY
A Strong Effort Will Be Made to Call
Out the Few Men Who Are
Still at Work
Associated Press Special Wire.

PITTSBURG, Pa, July 11.-TodAy
marks the beginning of the second week
of the coal miners strike and already
greatest wage struggles in the history of
this country. Eight days ago the coal
operators in this district and the miners
themselves little dreamed that within
one short week such an era of general
suspension could be wrought as now
exists in the bituminous mining indus
try. Then the mouths of the many coal
tipples that dot the Monongahela,
Youghiogheny, Allegheny and Peters
Creek valleys and the valley of Toms
and Miller's runs were open and turning
out thousands on thousands of tons of
the best coal that enters into the COM
petitive markets of the world Now all
is changed. The vast caverns are like
so many graveyards. On nearly every
railroad track leading to the mines
there stand empty cars apparently anx-
ious to be loaded that their burdens
may be carried to the ports along the
lakes
The success that has attended the
movement has greatly elated the min
ers, and during the next few days every
effort will be made to bring out the, men
in the few mines that are still working.
This will be difficult task, but they ex-
press confidence in their ability to make
the suspension complete before the week
is forty-eight hours old.
From the best information obtainable
the Pittsburg operators are in no hurry
to have the difficulty adjusted, as many
Of them had stocks on railroad sdddngs
which they held for an advance. Much
of this was disposed of Saturday at a
good profit. A prominent operator said
today that it would take another week
| to determine the exact state of the mar
ket, and by that time general cleaning
UP will have taken place. All inter-
ested will be ready to begin business on
a new basis and probably at a much
higher price.
"This whole thing will result in a
compromise" said another operator.
"These operators are in a position to
stand it for some time, and believe the
miners are In about the same condition.
1t looks as If both would brighten up,
and In that event the operators will be
able to get prices and the condition of
busir ess and the condition of the miner
will be simultaneously improved"
, Just now the greatest obstacle In the
way Of the success Of the miner is the
activity of the diggers in the West Vir-
ginia fields. They are working night and
day and are getting ready to supply all
| the coal that is needed. They are re-
peating what they did three years ago
when a general suspension was declared
At that time there was a number of
operators in the mountain states that
were on the verge of bankruptcy. The
general suspension was declared and
there came a great demand for coal at
prices that insured a big profit. The
operators rallied around them large
number of men, whose friendship and
support they have encouraged ever
since. The operators profitedl by thous-
ands and thousands of dollars. When
| the season had finished and the strike
was declared a failure they balanced
their books and found things on the
proper side of their ledgers. They real
lied that they owed much of their profit
to their miners, and rewarded them for
| it. On each succeeding pay Gay the
faithful miners were paid bonuses in the
shape of gold pieces, and naturally the
best of feeling prevailed between the
employer and employees
| This is the condition of affairs which
the organizers who will go into the West
Virginia field this week will have to
Iencounter. 1t is argued by the miners
| that there are more men out in that
section than there were three years ago
and they express the greatest confidence
| in bringing them out if they can get to
| their ears. This failing, the railroad
organizations will be appealed to. This
plan of campaign has been outlined by
the national officers, and the develop
ments of the week will be watched with
| interest.
| There are number of operators in the
Pittsburg district who have expressed
a Willingness to pay. the price demand
| ed But the miners have said nay. They
will insist upon a majority of the oper-
ators of the district paying the 69-cent
rate. This is the ultimatum of the ma
| tional officers
| The new features in the situation to-
| day were the arrival of the Ohio and
| Indiana state board of arbitration the
meeting tonight Of the United Labor
League of Western Pennsylvania, ano
the report that a movement was on foo.
to import new men to take the places OF
the strikers at the Pittsburg and Chica-
go company's mine.
The strikers at the mines of the Pitts
burg and Chicago Gas Coal company
were greatly excited today over a re
port that Owen Grouse was in that re-
gion and that an attempt would'be made
to resume work with imported men
Secretary Warner of the United Mine
Workers said that If this was done there
would likely be trouble, and he feared
there would be a lynching.
The only news from the West Virginia
fields received, here was that the Beach
wood minesy twelve niles south of Nor