The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-07-10
FOR BETTER PAY.
The Coal Miners Strike lnaugurated
at Pittsburgh.
The Men Instructed Not to Falter In Their
Struggle to Improve Their COndi-
tIon-One Mine Operator
Gives In.

PITTSBURGH, Pa, July 6.-The great
wage struggle of the coal miners was
inaugurated throughout the Pitts
burgh district yesterday. 1t was u
day of mass meetings BY a precon-
certed arrangement of the district eX-
ecutive board of the United Mine
Workers, meetings were held in nearly
every mining settlement that was rep
resented at Saturdays convention in
this city, and the miners were in
structed not to falter in the great
struggle that has begun.
What effect the meetings will have
cannot be determined yet. When it is
learned just how many men refuse to
go to work then the magnitude of the
strike will manifest itself. Much
doubt is expressed as to the action of
the Pittsburgh and Chicago miners on
the Wheeling division of the b. & M,
the NJ. A. Hanna company's miners on
the Panhandle who are working at the
6O-cent rate, under an ironclad con-
tract, and the New York and Cleve-
land miners at Turtle creek, Plum
creek and Sandy creek. The miners
of these claim the miners will strike
and the operators say they will not.
The general suspension, to those in
a position to know, presents some very
discouraging features. The past win
ter has been severe on the mining
craft. Business has been very duh,
and in addition, the lowest rate ever
paid in the district prevailed for the
little work that was done. Women
and children have been sufferers nigh
onto starvation and many of them have
been wards of the county. With
spring the conditions were little i'm
proved and during the past month
many mines have been running con-
tinuously. What little has been made
was used in paying debts contracted
during the reign of semi-starvation.
The success of the whole movement
seems to devolve upon the men in the
Pittsburgh district, and judging from
the latest advices received from the
field the miners there propose to do
their part.
Progress of the Strike.
PITTsBURGH, Pa. July :. The strike
order of the national executive board
of the United Mine Workers of America
was obeyed by from 10, 900 to Is, ,000of the
81 900 miners in the Pittsburgh district
yesterday. The great struggle is now
on in earnest, and the developments of
the next few days will determine the
success or failure of the fight for a
uniform mining rate. Pittsburgh is
the pivotal point in the five states en-
gagged in the contest, and the success
of the local officials in their efforts to
secure a general suspension in this dis
trict will have an important bearing
on the outcome of the movement.
The first break in the opei ators'
ranks was made yesterday aft -rnoon
by J. w. Steen, of the o. l. C. mines, at
Rossville. The diggers refused to
work, and the mine was closed down,
but notice was posted that aIUer to-
day the 69-cent rate would be paid.
1t is not likely that the officials will
allow the men to work until a major
ity of operators have agreed to the I
miners demands.
In West Virginia the miners have
been slow in responding to the strike.
A dispatch last night says that a gen.
eral strike in the state is not probable.
The men are not organized and they
are inclined to regard the strike else
where as favorable to their chances of
securing plenty of work at good prices
while it is pending.
The Miners In the Bellaire District.
BELLAIRE, o., July Yesterday was
really the first day of the big coal
miners strike in this district, although
a large number of men came out Mon
day. Quite surprise was created Mon
day night when it became known that
the operators of the Schick mines,
three miles west of this city, had
granted the advanced scale and the
miners there had returned to work.
However, yesterday morning a COM
mittee waited upon the miners at these
mines and commanded that they must
cease work at once. This they did.
Illinois Miners Go Out.
NORRIS, Ill, July 6.-In compliance
with the general order, the miners of
the Wilmington coal fields, including
all Grundy county miners, went on
strike yesterday. The Braceville mi
ners decided to square up places, refus-
ing, however. to load coal. Some Ital-
Ians at Carbon Hill refuse to strike and
in consequence a mine was partially
operated yesterday. Other mines have
been on a strike several
days. The siege promises to be long
one.
Strike In Indiana.
BRAZIL, Ind, July GA large mass
meeting of miners was held yesterday.
By unanimous vote the meeting in
lorsed the action of the miners Satur-
day in declaring a suspension. The
operators called n committee of the
miners in session and argued with them
against suspending but it was of no
avail.
Kansas Miners VIII Not Strike.
TOPEKA, Kan, July Assistant !
of Labor Statistics Hol- |
comb said yesterday that there would !
be no strike among the coal miners of
Kansas.
Conductor Copeland Improving.
MoBERLY, Mo-, July 7.-Conductor
'BlaclS" Copeland, of the Wabash, who
was SO badly injured in the wreck
~ his train at MisSOuri CifU "a |