Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1900-10-26
THE BIG STRIKE SITUATION.
IT IS NOT AT AN END YET.
Cost eft Powder IL the STAN bling
Blackstone COmpa mtes Have Not
Posted Notices Net-Htgher Wages
Not tO End 1t.

Posted Notice. Net-Higher Wages
Not to End 1t.
Scranton, Pa. Oct. 2l.-1he coal com.
panies ia this region are posting notices
relative to the action taken at the PHI
adelphia conference of individual operators
and the Philadelphia q Reading Coal and
Iron company and the iehigh Valley Coal
company, and with il an explanatory note
upon the powder reduction, showing its
figures in the 10 per cent wage increase.
National Organizer Wicher says this does
not meet the demands OF the miners con
yeGtion of week ago, and until it does
there viii be no end vi the strike.
The Hillside Coal L Iron Company, OPP
Grating Is coilicr,es, later in the day post
ed the explanatory amendment to the
original notice modifying the offer to
make it extend beyond April /, as was
agreed would be- done at the conference
last Thursday afternoon. They, however,
make no modification Of the clause stipu-
Iating that decrease in the cost OF powder
shall be counted is a part of the increase
in the wages Of contract miners.
The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
and The Delaware Hudson compan MES
operating - eolieries, have not posted
the amendment, and they are not saying
they will.
More Concessions Demanded.
1iazleton, Pa, Oct 2l.-PIeid,n mt Mitch
ell OF the United Mine W orkcrs' union
practically admitted to representative OF
oi the 4 Associated Press that If every oper.
aior IN the region We're to post notices
similar 10 Those that are nov being put
~ by some OF the mine owners, this action
would in Itself probably not END the
strike.
He was asked If the companies would
post such notices what his next step would
be. At first he hesitated, and then re-
Piled;
Under the conditions laid down by the
Scranton miners convention there could
be no partial resumption of work"
When it was suggested that his reply
! did not answer the question, he said:
We'll, all will say is that il all the
companies post notices it will clear up
matters considerably. 1t would remove
such obstacles as now present themselves.
This is the first public statement that
Mr.. Mitchell has made, bearing on set
Element OF the contest since the operators
at Scranton took their decided stand that
the reduction of the powder price must be-
considered in figuring out the advance in
wages.
| Notices similar to those already posted
| by individual operators in the region were
issued by three more companies. The only
large individual operators in tals region
that have not posted what is known a,
the second notice are Coke Bros. K Go.
d. u. Markle 4 Co.. and Iehgh K Wilkes
barre Coal company. There is much i'll
terest manifested here as to what steps
II any, the Markle firm will take. Thi,
firm is the only one in this region which
has not consented To give its employees al
increase of any sort. The members o.
the firm maintain strict silence.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. Discomfort
among the striking miners Of the Wyom
ing valley is growing. and unless the ,trik'
Is settled soon the miners will be hard t,
control. A majority of the men are will
ing and anxious to go to work. The dis
content OF the strikers was shown nj tn,
works Of the lehgh 4 Wilkesbarre Goa
compny's works in the eastern part OF TIN
city. \ gang OF men were going to worl
10 screen coal on the bank OF the Empir
mine when they were set on by a mob o
n.en, women and boys. John J. Ollara
foreman Of the gang. was knocked dowI
with a stone and his nose was fractured
Several other workmcn were slightly in
iured. During the melee several shot
were fired. The mob DESTROYED all tn,
tools OF the workmen. The trouble tool
place within the city limits, and detaeh
mcnt OF police was sent to the scene
When they arrived they found larg
crowd OF women and boys, but very few
men. The lccal officers Of the Unite,
Mine Workers say none Of their men en-
gagged in the fight. The police found al
etbey of O'Hara hanging to TELEGRAPH
pole. Owing to the trouble there was n
work at the Stanton washery or on tn
bank operated by the same company Mon
day. II IS said Foreman OHara mad
himself objectionable 10 the wives of som
OF the strikers by hasting that he woul,
work despite all opposition This angerc,
the women AMI on several occasions the
peltrd him with stones
Would Not Crafty MITCHELL,
Scranton, Pa. Oct. ai.--Thc Hillside