Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-26
COAL STRIKE IS ENDED,
WORK BEGINS MONDAY.
PRESIDENT MITCHELL AND THE
EXECUTIVE BOARD ISSUE
NOTICE
TO THE MEN INTERESTED.
STRIKE CONTINUES AGAINST OPER-
ATORS WHO HAVE NOT POST
ED NOTICES.

following statement was given out for
publication tonight by President Nit
chell, of the United Mine Workers:
Temporary Headquarters United
Mine Workers of America,
Hazleton, Pa, October 25, 1900.
ITO the Miners and Mine Workers of
the Anthracite Coal Region:
"Gentlemen-After carefully canvass
ing the entire strike situation, we, your
officers district and national, have
concluded that your victory is so nearly
completed that no good end can be
served by continuing the strike longer.
The contest has been in progress for
thirty-nine days, and the companies
employing you have, with few excep-
lions, signified their willingness to pay
the scale of wages formulated by the
Scranton convention of October II
and 10.
We are aware that some disappoint-
ment and dissatisfaction has been
caused by the failure of the operators
in districts l and to separate the re-
duction in the price of powder from
the advance in wages, but after careful
inquiry we are satisfied that each mine
employee will actually receive an ad
vance of ten per cent. on the wages for
merly paid. In the Schuylkill and Le-
high regions the largest companies have
agreed shat the sliding scale should
be Suspended, and that wages should
remain stationary at ten per cent. until
April 1, 1901, thus removing one of the
iniquities of which you have COM
planned for years.
while it is true that you have not
secured redress for all your wrongs;
while it is true that the increase in
your earnings will not fully compen-
safe you for the arduous labor you are
compelled to perform in the mines, you
have established a powerful organiza
ton, which If maintained and conduct
ed on business principles will enable
you to regulate many of your local
grievances and make your employment
less hazardous and more profitaba0
than before the strike began.
THE companies agree, in their no
tees, to take up with their mine en-
ployes all grievances complained Of
We would therefore advise that when
work is resumed committees be select
ed by the mine employees, and that
they wait upon the superintendent of
the companies and present their griev-
ances in an orderly, business-like man
ner, and ask that they be corrected.
Your attention is respectfully called
to the fact that the laws of the State
of Pennsylvania provide that miners
should be paid semi-monthly, upon de-
mand; we should therefore advise that
each mine employee serve notice on the
companies that he expects to be paid
his wages twice each month, as pro-
vided by law.
The practical benefits to the miners
which accrue from thorough organi-
cation have been so clearly demon
strated during this strike that it should
be needless for us to urge upon you
the necessity of maintaining your
union intact. We trust, however, that
those who are now members of the
union will be unceasing in their eff
forts to induce all other mine workers
to ally themselves with the United
Mine Workers of America at once. as
it will be impossible for you to secure
higher wages in the future, or even to
maintain the present rate of wages.
unless you are prepared to offer
united resistance if any attempt is made
to reduce your earnings upon the ex-
piration of the present offer.
AS there are some few companies
who have neither posted, notified nor
signifed in any other manner, their
willingness to pay the ten per cent ad-
vance in wages and suspend the slid
ing scale, We would advise that IN
less the men employed by such COM
panies received notice before Monday
that the advance will be paid, they re-
main away from the. mines and con-
tinue on strike until the companies en-
ploying them agree to the conditions
offered by the other companies, and
the employees of the companies who
have offered the advance OF ten per
cent and abolished the sliding scale
are hereby authorized to resume work
Monday morning. October 23ta, and to
be prepared, if called upon. TO contrib
ute a reasonable amount of your earn
ings for the maintenance of those who
may be compelled to continue on
strike.
(Signed)
JOHN MITCHELL,
President.
CIV. B. WILSON,
Secretary U. NJ. W. of A.