The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-07-22
WEST VIRGINIA miners 60 out.
DEBS AT WORK.
Agreement Between Operators which viii
Probably Settle the Dispute.

The solid front Of the mine operators
Of the Fairmont district in West Vir-
ginia was shattered into fragments
Monday. when 600 miners threw down
their picks and walked out Of the
mines on a strike. Fully 800 men were
rendered idle. Already the men are
organized, and Eugene v. Debs has
started on a metoric trip throughout
the district.
President Ratchford and Secretary
Pearce OF the striking miners issued a
letter to the public, giving the causes
leading up to the present suspension.
the circular says that the suspension
is not a choice. but an alternative
forced upon the miners for living
wages.
An operator is quoted as saying in a
joint conference prior to the suspen-
sion: go on and fight, we are ready
for YOU" The movement is character
lied as nothing less than the spon-
taneous uprising of an enslaved peo-
pie, who have determined to submit no
longer to the cruel, heartless and in
human conditions imposed upon them
by INSCRIPTIONS employers. which
have reduced them and their depend
ents to actual starvation"
The basis upon which the great min
ers' strike will probably be settled Is
embodied in the following provisions OF
agreement between the mine opera
tors: That we will pay the miners en-
ployed by us in cash for all the coal
mined or loaded by them on the pit car
or wagon on the basis af coal screened
over the standard screen hereinafter
provided for. That no owner or opera
sar nd
management of n mine shall be inter-
ested directly or indirectly, in the pro-
fits arising from the sales of merchan-
disc to any employees of any such own
er or operator. The payment shall be
made in cash semimonthly for all Ia
Dor performed at the mines during the
pay period next preceding the pay
days, without deduction or set off for
any merchandise, supplies or goods
that may have been obtained by the
miner from any store, or for or on ac-
count Of any order for such merchan-
disc, supplies or goods. And we and
each of us do hereby further agree that
in case of the violation by any one or
more of us, parties to this agreement,
to pay the sum Of 10 cents per ton upon
each ton of the total output of coal
mined by any one or more of us vio-
lating any one or more Of said pro-
visions and terms.
1t is agreed that when this contract
has been signed by 81 per cent of all
the mine owners in the Pittsburg dis
trict, including the river operators, 1t
will go into effect. 1t is hard to say
how long it will take to get the neces-
sary signatures, but If everybody
works towards this end the compact
should be in force at the end of a week.
The matter of wages is to be left to
n commission of arbitration agreeable
to both operator and miner. The de-
cisions of this board are to be final.
John Kane, National Vice President
of the United Mine Workers. died sud-
denly in Columbus Monday evening
after a short illness Of pneumonia.
The death of Mr.. Kane was profound
shock to his numerous friends. He had
taken a great interest in the strike and
was one of the chief advisers of Presi-
dent Ratchford