Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-07-15
THE COAL STRIKE.
GREATEST STRUGGLE OF
ALL THE LABOR WARS,
No Prospect Of settIsmens--Tho strlk-
ors sim Confident That They WIN
wln-DIggoFS In tho West Virginia
Coal Fields an Obstacle.

PrrTsBURe, Pa, July L. Yesterday
marked the beginning of the second
week of the coal miners strike, and
already it gives promise of being one
of the greatest struggles in the his
tory 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 suspen-
sion could be wrought as now exists
in the bituminous mining industry.
Then the mouth of the many coal tip
Piles that dot the Monongahela, ALLIE.
gheny, Youghenny and Peters creek
valleys and the valleys Of Toms and
Millers' Run 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 that is changed The vast
caverns are deserted and tomb-like.
On the hillsides, basking in the shade,
there Is an army of IS, 900 unemployed,
obviously waiting for more to join the
troops of oilers. On nearly every rail-
road track leading to the mines there
stand empty cars, apparently anxious
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
miners, 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 express confidence in their
ability to make the suspension com
plete before the week is forty.eight
hours old
From the best information obtain
able the Pittsburg operators are in no
hurry to have the difficulty adjusted.
Many of them have stocks of coal on
railroad sidings which they are hold
ing for an advance. Much of this was
disposed of Saturday at good profit.
One prominent operator said to-day
that it would take another week to
determine the exact state of the mar
ket, and by that time a general clean
ing up will have taken place. All in.
terested will be ready to begin bust
ness on a new basis, and probably
much higher price.
"This whole thing will result in
compromise" said another prominent
operator. 1.-THE operators are in
position to stand it for some time, and
l believe the miners are in about the
same condition. 1t looks as If BUSH
ness will brighten up, and in that
event the operators will be able to get
better prices, and the condition of
business and the condition of the
miners will be simultaneously inn
proved"
just now the greatest obstacle in
the way of success of the miners is the
activity of the diggers in the West
Virginia fields They are working
night and day and are getting ready
to supply all the coal that is needed.
They are repeating what they did
three years ago, when a general sus-
pension was declared. At that time
there were a number of operators in
the Mountain state that we're on
the verge of bankruptcy. The gem
eral suspension was declared, and
there came a great demand for
coal, at prices that insured big profit.
The operators rallied around them a
large number of men, whose friend
ship and support they have encouraged
ever since. The operators profited by
thousands of dollars. When the sea-
son had finished and the strike was de-
clared failure they balanced their
books and found things on the proper
side of their ledgers. They realized
that they owed much of their profit to
their miners, and rewarded them for
1t. On every succeeding pay day the
faithful miners were paid bonuses in
the shape of gold pieces, and naturally
the best of feeling prevails among the
employers and employees.