The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-04
CONDITION IN INDIANA.
Even Operators Admit Miners Are Not
Receiving Enough Pay.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind July 3.-President
Knight Of the United Mine Workers. In
diana district, who was at the meeting of
the miners of the block field at Brazil to-
day. says he has no doubt that all the block
miners will come out. The meeting to-day
was a representative one, but not so large
as was desired, having been called on short
notice 1t unanimously favored strike
but the question was referred to another
meeting to be held Monday. Mr.. Knights
opinion of what the block men will do is
based on his knowledge of the men present
to-day as to their representative character
The miners president now believes that
all the 5000 men in the State will join in
the strike. He places the total number at
that figure, Notwithstanding the state mine
inspectors report shows 6400 for the first
of the year. 1t will not be known before
Monday or possibly TUESDAY how many
men have not joined in the strike Those
who have been working and who worked
to-day left their tools in the mines. The
others in the more remote districts may
want to have verfcation of the authen-
ticity of the call for a strike. The officials
have been keeping the purpose to have a
strike secret to prevent the operators ac-
cumulating a supply of coal, and for that
reason some of the miners rot having
heard the proposition discussed may doubt
the authenticity of the call for a strike
President knights comment on the edi-
torial suggestion of the Journal this MORN
ing that an arrangement might be made
TO limit the supply and make the price was:
Il wish to God il could be done Some
thing of the kind must be done. The peo-
pie do not realize the condition of the
miner. 1t is easy to say il is his own fault
he does not make a living, but the fact Is
there arc not IYingS enough for all of them
The trouble is that some of the operators
want trade arranged so they can work
their mines full time every day"
President Knight believes it will be an
orderly strike. because the men have
learned how greatly they lost prestige in
previous strikes by lawlessness. of which
although only few were guilty was at
tributed to all. The law-abiding miners
will, he hopes, see to il that the reckless
and lawless fellows are restrained.
The mining industry of Indiana has not
made much gain in the past eight or nine
years. From one cause and another the out
put has not been notably increased Illi-
nois has trebled and Ohio more than doub-
led in the same period. 1t has been the con-
tention of the operators that the miners
have not responded quickly enough to COM
petition. with the result that each time the
reduction has been effected in wages il has
come late and after the competitors of In
diana coal have captured the market There
has been a steadily decreasing scale of
wages until now both sides realize that il
is at bedrock. The miners call it "starya
ton wages and the operators say il fs
lower than the men ought TO be paid In
the previous decade the output more than
doubled. For the year from October 1879 IN
October 1880, the output was 1886 400 tons
with 81 I35, 5e2 invested in the Industry The
next year the output fell off 40. 600 tons