New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-10
CONDITIONS IN COAL REGIONS.
MINERS MAY STRIKE IN EASTERN PENN.
sYLvANrA-BUsrNEss PROSPERITY NOT .
BENEFITING THEM-CoMPErT-
TON OF SOFT COAL


Pottsvilic Penn. May OspeciaD --There is trou.
BILE brewing in the anthracite coal regions Of East.
ern Pennsylvania. To-day President Duffy OF IN.
United Mine Workers Union OF the Hazleton d,,
trict informed all miners and laborers employees
In the Lehlgh and W!ikesbarre Coal Company
workings that after Friday. May 49, members a,
the Mine Workers Union would not work wuh
men who do not belong to the union. Presiden,
Duffy said that a general strike would be order.d
II the coal company made any interference "a.
has been organizing miners IN the Pottsvine Dis
tric and the order Issued at Hazleton will extena
here before many days. The coeries are nov
working only few days a week Nearly all IN.
miners and laborers belong to the union. ana
they assert that they better organized than n
many years. Their earnings are less than n
week and boys get about 81 co. The coal outpu,
for this month is 10 be 100000 tons the m,nsrs
Notwithstanding the good times In all other indu..
tries. sec nothing more hopeful in tn. imned,,,.
future than little work and small wages
One OF the great and most serious industrial proA
lens, affecting forty thousand coal miners wit,
several hundred thousand dependent on them. Ana
tho business communities OF several COUNTS. g,
Eastern Pennsylvania. is the invasion by bi,um,n'
coal OF the territory. once almost exclusives
occupied by anthracite coal. Stories freou.n,,v
reach the outside world Of the discomfort anon,
the miners and probable troubles in the anthracvs
region. The men themselves say that they wouls
to-day have steady work and be earning eoos
wages were It not for tho great competition OF sos,
coal. 1t is fact that Notwithstanding the indus,
tries Of all Eastern Pennsylvania running AZ
never before the anthracite mines are practicable
on one-haf and one-third. and even less tina
Years ago the sight Of train of btumlnous co.,
was a novelty In this region. The great mann
featuring esta blishments Of the Schuylkil Valley
and elsewhere were then burning anthracite ainos,
exclusively. but conditions have changed and tn
da de q n
sumed In every Industrial centre each week Resi-,
dents have sent up protests against the soft coal
nuisance. and the business men of the anthracite
country have been holding meetings TO secure bet.
ter freight rates for hard coal and to improve
trade conditions In their towns. Manufacturers sav
that bituminous coal Is better suited to oven bust,
ness. It is cheaper. and ton goes further Reports
reach here Of the busy times In the soft coal
mines. and 1t Is frequently asserted that labor
troubles there would more seriously inconvenienss
the industries OF Eastern Pennsylvania than would
a shutdown IN the anthracite region. The great
demand for anthracite coal Is for household con-
sumption One Of tho new markets created for
this class of coal Is In the West, where increased
shipments are made.
One OF the great anthracite coal-carry1ng com.
panies last week had over 1900 cars in the West
Virginia coal fields to be loaded with soft coal for
Eastern Pennsylvania industries. and others are
being sent there at the rate OF 100 day Thls
tremendous shipment to this territory beats an
records; and threats are again heard that the or.
ganization formed last year is about to proceed
legally under the Interstate Commerce law in ne.
gard to alleged unjust discrimination IN freight
rates on anthracite coal There has been recent
advance in bituminous coal to manufacturers Of
ID cents ton, but this had visible effect on ths
at about 81 80 ton. delivered, while ton OF an.
thracite pea and buckwheat sizes costs over 81
cents ton, and the freight is 81 40 ton 10 points
less than forty miles from the mines There are
plenty OF manufacturers who use only ten tons OF
soft coal a day. who used from fifteen 70 twenty
tons OF small-sized anthracite coal formerly. Re.
ports received here from West Virginia say that
the miners making the best OF their lives
and earning more money than before. While
the miners. with large families, in the anthracite
region. where they are short time are not send.
Ing out many complaints. yet their condition IL
deplorable. Years ago the Welsh and Irish mina-.
predominated in the hard coal country but they
have given way to Poles Hungarans and men Of
other nationaties. Even hundreds Of the latter
have gone elsewhere to seek employment in the
industries with the return OF prosperous times.