People's voice., 1900-10-25
Coal Strike Practically Ended.

Ine Lenlgn valley Goal company
agreed TO abolish the sliding scales lu
their respective regions and 10 grant
an advance in wages Of ten per cent
net, the advance TO remain in Oper-
alton until April l, 1901, or thereafter.
This action meets tue demands OF the
Scranton miners convention. The
decision was arrived at after a con.
ference between representatives OF
the coal miners and the large coal
carrying companies.
The action was the elimination Of
the recent meeting Of the individual
operators at Scranton following the
mine workers convention in the same
city. Nearly all of the collieries in
the coal region had previous to the
mine workers convention, posted
notices granting an advance OF ten
per cent. The mine workers, 10 con-
sidering this demand, that the
sliding scale in the Lehigh and Schuyl-
kill districts, be abolished, the in-
crease to be guaranteed Oh, April /,
1901, and all other differences be sub
mitted to arbitration. The individual
operators agreed to everything, and
the appointment Of a committee to
induce the Reading and Lehigh cOm-
panies to abolish the sliding scale and
make the wages increase permanent
followed. 1t is conceded that the
result Of the conference is complete
victory for the men. All the demands
OF their convention are acceded to,
and, as one Of the individual operators
put it afer the conference, the
operators 20 a little further 10 agree
ing 10 maintain the wages advance
after April |. This same operator,
who requested that his name be not
used, said 10 speaking OF the confer
euce:
1T is all up TO the miners now. We
have agreed TO everything, and moth
ing remains now but for t1em To
work as soon as the notices are posted
by the colliery managers. These
notices will be practically similar Il
the Reading cOmpany's notice, the
phraSeOlogy only being changed. |
look for a resumption Of operations
by Monday at the least. The confer.
ence was entirely harmonious and
every phase of the strike situation
was gene over"
Just how soon the official order
notifying the men that The strike is
ended and to return to work will bt
issued by President Mitchell can only
be cODjectured. 1t is believed thai
no order to return will be issued unit
notice similar to, or in line with
that Of the Reading and Lehigb CON-
panies is posted at all mines.
HazeltOn, Pa, Oct. lS.-As far as
ending the coal miners strike Is con-
cerned, not a move 10 that direction
was made by the United Mine Work
erS' officials today. President Mitchei
is absolutely silent on all question,
pertaining TO the termination OF the
contest and it is not believed that ht
will have anything to say on tbt
subject until he calls meeting o.
the national executive board" for thC
purpose OF issuing formal declara
tion calling the strike off. When thai
shall be, depends, it is understood
merely upon the operators.
The feeliag is prevalent here to.
night that the decision Of the Oper-
ators' meeting at Scranton today II
insist that the reduction In the price
Of power must be taken into consider
alton ia determining the net 10 PEI
cent increase iU wages has complicated
matters somewhat. Further delay in
reaching an amicable adjustment O
the question is now feared. The
result would be precisely the same as
that which obtained when the first
notices of the coal companies were
posted. Theu, as now, the Reading
company was the first TO post notice
Of an advance in wages and wa
quickly followed by other large Goa
Companies, and nearly all the smaller
individual operators, after which Mr.
Mitchell issued the call for the
Scranton convention. Up to tonight
four companies in the Hazelton dis
trict have posted notices accepting
the Scranton convention demands
They are the Lehigh Nalley Goa
company, operating a half dOzer
cOllieries In this vicinity; Pardee 6
Co., two collieries; Van Wycklie &
State, two cOllieries; and Pardee &
Co., one cnlliery. Mr.. Mitchell il
extremely reticent. 1t is supposed ht
desires to hear from district officer,
before making any public expression,
as to the probability Of an early re
sumption Of work.
A meeting Of the United Mine
Workers was held here today, anf
arrangements we're made for holding
a labor demonstration in this citl
aext Monday. The feature Of demon
stration will be a parade. followed by
a mass meeting at which President
Mitchell Eill be the principal speaker
The mayor Of. this city, who refused
to allow the strikers to parade twr
weeks ago, has granted permission fO
the demonstration next week.
Hazelton, Pa, Oct. l9.-About SOl
strikers made descent 90 the No.
Jeddo mines Of G. B. Markle & Co.
at Oakdale, early today and made al
effort to close the colliery at tina
place.
The march was well planned anC
was kept a strict secret. The march
ers came from this city and from
| McAdoo and Audenried on the soutt
side and Eckley, Highland aud Free
| land on the nortn side. Each loca
union marched independently to ;
point on the Jeudo road near 0akdale
the south siders reached their destin
alton at 5 am, and those from tht
other side arrived soon afterward. A