The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-13
COMPLETE TIE UP Is EXPECTED
EIGHTY PER CENT OF THE MEN
ARE NOW ORGAN
LOSS WILL BE IN MILLIONS
Closing of the Mines Will Reduce
the Output Not Less Than
Seventy-five Per
Cent.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Sept. 12-Ths
evening the United Mine Workers of
America declared a strike in the anthra-
cite region.
The strike is to begin next Monday
morning, and it is expected that 142,0JO
men will walk out
President Mitchell, with part of his
office force from Indianapolis, will es-
tablish themselves in Haz,eton, Pa, and
Mitchell will direct the strike from that
point.
Following is the order to strike issued
to the anthracite miners, by President
Mitchell of the United Mine Workers,
at o'clock.
THE STRIKE ORDER.
Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. II, 10OO.-To the
officers and members of the United Mine
Workers of the anthracite region of
Pennsylvania, greeting:
At convention of the miners and
mine workers of the anthracite coal
fields, held at Hazleton, Pa, Aug. 81 19Uj,
a resolution was adopted asking the IA
tlonal executive board of the United
Mine Workers of America to indorse q
proposition for a strike for the miners
and mine workers Of the anthracite re-
g1on, i'll accordance with the laws of our
organization, provided certain wages and
~ ~ N1AO NOd1
companies within ten days.
The national executive board was call
ed together for the purpose of cons1d-
erlng the situation, and after a careful
examination Of all the facts in its pos
session, its members were unanimously
OF the opinion that a. strike should be
ordered at once, and our hopes of i'm
proved conditions staked upon the out
come.
During the afternoon of Saturday.
Sept. s, while the board was still in seS-
sion lQfOrma tiOn reached +fo4
outside influences were being brought
to bear upon the coal companies to bring
about satisfactory settlement of the
questions in one of the most common
methods used by large employers to de,
stroy the public sympathy and defeat
our cause. With a thoroughly aroused
public sentiment behind us, cause the
justice 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 suc-
cess Of our cause.
Do not wait for any further notice to
strike, but cease work in a BODY on
and after Monday, Sept IT, 1900
BY order of the national executive
board.
John Mitchell, President.
w. B. Wilson, Secretary Treasurer
THE LAST GREAT STRIKE.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 12.-The order
of President Mitchell calling out the
A4141lCAo III tilC dIlllII dClle coal region OF
this state recalls the last great strike in
the same district three years ago, which
was practically ended by the tragedy at
Lattimer, at which twenty-one miners
were killed and over fifty wounded by
deputy sheriffs. The strike inaugurated
today by the United Mine Workers will
for the time being terminate operations
in the most productive hard coal fields
in the world
The mine employees in the anthracite
district of Pennsylvania number 10000
The membership of the union is not
known to a certainty, but the leaders
claim that about so per cent of the men
are organized. The union men do not
anticipate any difficulty in inducing the
unorganized men to strike The coal
beGs extend over an area of 470 square
miles and are distributed through sew
eral countless the more important work
ings being located in Luzerne. Lacka-
wanna, SchuylkiH, Carbon and North
umberland counties. The average pro-
ductlon from the entire district is 750O0,-
600 tons a year.
The closing of the mines is expected
to reduce the regular coal production Is
Per cent, leaving free only the Reading
coal and iron production of POS per cent
of the total output of the region, and the
6.5 per cent of the Lehigh valleys pro-
duction. Should the strike continue dver
will amount to IS, 40O, 600; loss to railways
$20OoO,COO and loss to mine operators,
S2OOdO,060
Officers of the miners union estimate
that the organization has a cash balance
of a,OOoOoO in the treasury, with which
to conduct the strike
In their demands the miners ask the
correction of many evils, the more i'm
portant of which are the following:
Abolition of company stores, reduc-
ton in the price of powder to 81. 50 a keg
abolition OF company doctors. semi
monthly payment of wages, abolition Of
the sliding scale, wages paid in cash.
2,240 pounds to the ton, an advance of 20
per cent in wages less than $15O and not
exceeding $1.75 a day; that all classes of
day labor receiving $1.5O, and not exceed
ing $.75, shall receive Is per cent over
present wages; that all day laborers now
receiving $1.75 shall be advanced 10 per
cent; that no miner shall have at any
time more than one breast, gang or other
class of work, and Shall get only his
legal share of cars.