Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-09-14

accordance with this endorsement all
the miners and mine workers of the
anthracite coal region, whether MEM
bers of the United Mine Workers of
America or not, are instructed to cease
work on and after Monday, September
IT, 1900, and remain away from the var
ious colleries, strippings and breakers
until the demands of the Hazleton con-
vention have been acceded to by the
coal companies.
''Be law-abiding, self-respecting and
quiet, do not allow any person, whose
interest it may be, to provoke you into
quarrels and violations Of the peace.
That is one of the most common methods
used by large employers to destroy the
public sympathy and defeat our cause.
"With thoroughly aroused public
tice of which cannot be successfully
questioned, and the mine workers united
and determined to stand until their
many wrongs have been righted, we
have supreme faith in the ultimate sue
cess Of our cause.
"Do not wait for any further notice
to strike but cease work in a body on
and after Monday, September II, 1900.
"By order of the national executive
board.
| (Signed) "John Mitchell,
president.
"W. b. Wilson,
''Secretary-Treasure United Mine
Workers of America"
| All day Wednesday the union officers
sat in the headquarters reading tele.
grams from different parts of the anthra-
cite region and hoping, they said, that
each message might be reply from the
operators or the nine anthracite rail-
rord company presidents, to whom tee-
grams had been sent. President Nit
chell would not state what secret in
fluences were at work to prevent the
strike and what caused the delay. He
said the persons at work had offered
their services voluntarily and the matter
was confidential.
As to maintaining the men during
the strike, he said:
when men are fighting for just
wages they can subsist on very little
At any rate it is safe to say that no.
body will starve or want for necessaries
of life or clothing. Most OF the men
live in company houses and we must
consider the probability of eviction,
but all these things have been fully
considered and will be met as they
present themselves. At this time it
would be folly for the organization to
go into details as to the provision made
for feeding and clothing the strikers"
President Mitchell will arrive tomor-
row at Hazleton. Headquarters will be
established at the Valley hotel.
THE MINERS DEMANDS.
In their demands the miners ask the
correction of many evils, the most i'm
portant of which are the following:
Abolition OF the company stores; re-
ducton in the price of powder to 81 so
keg; abolition of company doctors;
semi-monthly payment of wages; aboli-
tion of the sliding scale; wages paid in
cash; 2,240 pounds to the ton; an ad-
vance of 20 per cent In wages, less than
$3.50 and not exceeding $l.75 day;
that all classes of day labor now receiv-
Ing 81. so and not exceeding Sits, shall
receive Is per cent over present wages;
that all day labor now receiving S1.75
shall be advanced 10 per cent; that no
miner shall have at any time more than
one breast, gangway or other class of
work, and shall get only his legal share
OF cars
THE LOCAL. SITUATION.
Strike is the only matter discussed on
the streets since Wednesday evening.
majority OF the miners OF Freeland
and vicinity, although they are opposed
to a strike, claim that the grievances
outlined above do exist and should be
remeded, or at least discussed in con-
ference. Few men, however, will say
what they propose to do on Monday.
There is feeling in town that some-
thing should be done at once to avert a
strike here. The Cross Creek Coal Com.
pany, Markle y Co., the Upper Lehigh
Coal Company and Kemmerer & Co. are
the firms which employ the men upon
whom Freeland's business lives, and it
is possible that steps will be taken in
day or two to bring about an amicable
settlement of difference between these
operators and their miners.
A tremendous rush for coal has set in
and every vehicle suitable to the pur-
pose has been pressed into service to
haul coal from the surrounding breakers,
A statement to the people, issued last