Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-09-20
Mitchell Says a Hundred and
!. Twelve Thousand Are Out.

Hazleton, Pa, Sept. 1S-The great
struggle between the anthracite coal
miners Of Pennsylvania and their en-
ployers was formally begun yesterday.
Each side is confident of winning, and
neither of the contending forces show
any disposition to yield. With the ex-
ception of a trivial incident at No.
colliery of the Lehigh Coal company,
where gang Of boys compelled a mule
driver to seek cover by throwing stones
at him, the contest thus far has been
entirely devoid of violence of any kind.
The exact number of men who struck
cannot at this time be told, as only es-
Inmates of IT,. number of men who did
not start work were made yesterday.
President Mitchell last night gave out
the following:
"Information received up to this time
indicate that 900 mine workers are
on strike in the anthracite region. OF
this number $4,000 are in district No.
], 10000 in district No and 10000 in
district No. 7. Reports received are
TO the effect that large numbers of
those who went to the mines today
will join the suspension. We feel con-
fdent that the entire number OF men
employed in and about the coal mines
of the anthracite district will be idle
in the next few days. The number OF
men now out on strike exceeds that OF
any other industrial contest in the his
tory of our country"
HaZleton presented an animated ap-
pearance Strikers from all the sur
rounding mining towns came here early
in the day and gathered in groups on
the street corners and discussed the
situation. 1t was a most orderly
crowd. Around strike headquarters at
the Valley hotel there was more or less
of crowd of men all day. President
Mitchell, who arrived from the west
Sunday night, was kept busy all day
and evening receiving reports.
Mr. Mitchell decided an important
point yesterday in the matter of arbl-
tration. Ii will be remembered that
last week miners employed by G.. B.
Markle & Co. decided not to strike un-
til the firm passed upon a set Of their
own grievances which differ somewhat
from those of the United Mine Work
ers The firm has an agreement with
its men that if any differences fail OF
adjustment then the grievances shall
be arbitrated John Markle, Of the
firm. on Sunday agreed to have Arch
bishop Ryan of Philadelphia. arbitrate
the differences II the mediators al
ready decided upon by the firm and the
men cannot come to a satisfactory
agreement Mr.. Markle gave out an
interview to newspaper reporters to
this effect and SuppeStpd 10 tho re-
porters that they go see what President
Mitchell would have to say to the prop
osition, Mr.. Markle not caring to be put
on record as recognizing the union
This was done and after due dclibera-
tion Mr.. Mitchell replied:
81 regard this as a rather unusual
wa of conveying the wishes of Mr..
Markie, but | wish to say that we in
tend to ask the men employed by Mr..
Markle 10 cease work. We intend to
use all lawful means to induce them to
join the strike. II we succeed at one
place and fail at another the low wages
must be brought up to meet the high
or the higher must come down to meet
the low, so that I am not now and do
not propose to officially accept or re-
feet for our organization any proposi-
tion for settlement that is not made
either by the company or by some
other person to whom they will give
authority to act as their representa-
tive
Every mine in the Wyoming valley,
with the exception of one, was closed
by the miners strike. The exception
was the colliery operated by the West