The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-18
GREAT STRIKE is ON
REPORTED THAT 10000 MINERS
HAVE aUTT WORK.
THAT is MITcHELL'S FIGURE
STRIKE - COMPLETE IN Two OF
THE BIG DISTRICTS.

In the Two Others About 90 Per Cent.
of the Men Have ouIt. and the
Union Organizer. Are Hard nj
Work-rhere Has Been No Violence
Worth Mentioning-Some Opera
tors Claim They VIII Not shut
Down.
Phi!sdelphia, Sept 1.-THE great strike
of mine workers in tho anthracite coal
fields OF Pennsylvania, which represent
practically the hard coal output OF the
world, began to-day.
According 20 President Mitchell OF che
United Mine Workers. who Is personally
directing the strike from his headquarters
effort 10 tie up the mines exceeded the ex-
peosations OF the strike leaders.
The hard coal region IL divided into four
great districts. the Lackawanna. wyom-
Ing, Lehigh and schuyiknl. In the FIRST
two. representing about 5000 men. the
tie-up Is practically complete only one
mine employing few hundred men being
operated. and this the strikers say they
hope TO close soon.
In the Lehgh region. the situation T.
stand-off. about 5000 Of the 1900 mine en-
ployes having quit work. Principally be-
cause the union has comparatively little
strength in the schuylkiu region. ana the
wofkmen there have no decided grievance.
as IN other districts the strike was not
general among the upward OF 5000 men
employed.
Indications tonight. however. point 20
tho closing tomorrow Of some mines in
the last named district that operated to-
day, despite the assertion OF the officials
OF tho Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company and other companies oper-
atiug the region that they Will keep their
coHeries "a operation. Naturally the ef-
forts OF the strike leaders are beinE de
voted to organizing the men In the weak
schuylkn and Lehish regions. and to-
night their organizers and orators are re-
doubling their efforts.
No violence worth mentioning has
marred the first day OF the struggle
Practically no progress has yet been made
IN spite OF the Efforts OF some OF the
clergy 20 bring about . settlement OF the
trouble through arhitEat4on.
Each side d. Confident.
Hazle,on. Pa. sept I7-The great s,rug-
gle between the anthracite coal miners Of
PENNSYLVANIA ard their employers was he
gun to-day. Each side Is confident of
winning, and neither Of the conteuding
forces showed any disposition to yield.
With the exception Of a trivial incident
al No. colliery OF the Lehish Coal Com
pany. where gang OF boys compelled a
mule driver 20 seek cover hy throwing
stones at him. the contest thus Gar has
been entirely devoid OF violence Of any
kind.
The exact number OF men who struck
cannot az this time be told. as only esti-
mates Of the number OF men who did not
start work were made to-day Reports re-
ceived by the United Mine Workers ON
oials from the entire anthracite region
we're considered by them most sltisfac-
tory. In this territory. known az Dis
trict No. 7. there were lso0o men en-
ployed in and about the mines. or this
number It is conservatlvely estimated that
about 80 per cent. OF s.oc0 miners. obeyed
the order OF President Mitchell TO quit
work
Hazleton to-day presented an animated
appearance. Strikers from all the sur
rounding mining towns came here carly
in the day and gathered In groups on the
street corners and discussed the situation.
IL was a most orderly crowd. Around
strike headquarters at the Valley Hotel
there was more or less Of a crowd OF
men all day.
says 10000 Are out.
President Mitchell. who arrived from
the West to-day. was kept busy all day
sccton OF the region. Messengers bringing
Information 90 him from nearby points
kept coming regularly.
President Mitchell tonight gave out the
following statement:
Information received up 20 this time
indicates that 1900 mine workers are on
strike In the anthracite region OF this
number 72oOo are IN District No. /: 5000
in District No 9. and 1000 In District
No. z
Reports received are 20 the effect that
large numbers Of those who went 10 the
mines to-day will Join the suspension TO-
morrow.
I'VE feel confident that the entire mum.
bcr Of men employed IN and about the
coal mines OF the anthracite district will
be idle In the next few days
The men appear determined TO con-
tinue on strike until their demands FOR
justice have been acceded 90.
"The number Of men now on strike cx-
cecds that Of any other Industrial contest
IN the history Of our country"
NO POLITICS ~ THE STRIKE.