The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1900-09-21
GREAT STRIKE IS ON
Anthracite Coal Miners Walked
Out Monday.
More Than One Hundred Thousand
Men Have Refused to
Work Longer.

Hazeton, Pa. Sept. 1.-THE great
struggle between the anthracite coal
miners OF Pennsylvania and their EN-.
ployers was begun today. Each side is
confident OF winning, and neither of the
contendihg forces shows any disposition
to yield. The contest thus far has been
devoid of violence.
The exact number of men who struck
can not at this time be told Reports
received by the United Mine Workers
officials from the entire anthracite region
was encouraging to them.
The district south uf this place, known
as the south side, was tied up complete
ly, with the exception of Meadows. In
this territory the United Mine Workers
are very strong. On the north side, the
Upper Lehigh, Milnesvile, Ebervae and
DriftOn No. L colleries, employing 1900
men, are shut down. The mines at Lat
timer and Pond Creek, employing 100
men, are working full, but every other
mine in that big territory is working
with badly crippled forces Three Of the
Markle mines, over which there has been
so much contention, worked all day
with about 90 per cent of the men,
On the west side, every cOlliery started
up minus the union men. Hazelton to-
day presented an animated appearance,
strikers from all the surrounding mining
towns coming in early in the day, and,
gathering in groups on the street cor
ners, discussed the situation. 1t was
most orderly crowd Around strike
headquarters at the Valley hotel there
was more or less of a crowd of men all
day. President Mitchell, who arrived
from the west last night, was kept busy
all day and evening receiving reports
from every section of the region. Mes
sengers bringing reports to him from
nearby points kept coming regularly.
Mr.. Mitchell decided an important
point today in the matter OF arbitra-
ton. Last week the miners employed
by G. B. Markle & Co. agreed not to
strike until the firm had passed upon a
set OF their own grievances, which differ
somewhat from those of the United
Mine Workers. The firm has an agree
ment with its men that if any differences
fail OF adjustment then the grievances
shall be arbtrated John Markle of the
firm agreed yesterday that Archbishop
Ryan OF Philadelphia should arbitrate
the differences if the mediators decided
upon by the firm and the men can not
agree satisfactorily. Mr.. Mitchell stated
today that he should ask the mem en-
plOyed by Markle to cease work. The
men employed by Markell might gain
concessions through arbitration, he said,
but it was now a case of securing a uni
form settlement throughout the anthra-
cite region.
nlyIVn
left HazletOn today and will take a
steamer for Europe. These men expect
a long strike, and, rather than remain
idle here, they preferred to go to their
former homes.
President Mitchell tonight gave out
the following statement: "InfOrmatiOn
received up to tonight shows that 112,-
600 mine-workers are striking in the
anthracite region. OF this number 72,-
900 are in district No l. 10000 in No. 2
and 10000 in No. Z. Reports received
here are to the effect that a large num-
Der of those who went to the mines to
day will join in the suspension tomOr-
row.
"The number of men now out on
strike exceeds that of any other indus
trial contest in the history of the cOun-
try"
In Other Districts.
Philadelphia, Sept 1.-THE great
strike OF the miners in the anthracite
coal fields of Pennsylvania, which repre-
sent practically the hard coal output of
the world, began today. According to
President Mitchell of the United Nine
Workers of America, who personally di-
rected the strike from his headquarters
at Hazelton, the success of the first days
efforts to tie up the mines exceeded the
expectations OF the strike leaders The
hard coal region is divided into four
great districts-the Lackawanna, Wy
Oming, Lehigh and SchuylkilI regions.
In the first two, representing nearly 9O,-
600 men, the tie-up is practically COM
plete. Only one mine, employing few
hundred men, is being operated, and
this the strikers say they hope to close
soon.
In the Lehigh region the situation is a
stand off, about 5000 of the 10000 en-
ployes having quit.
Principally because the union has com
paratively little strength in the Schuyl-
kill, and the workmen there have no de-