The true northerner., 1900-09-21
STRUGGLE
COMMENCED
THE BrG STRIKE IN THE ANTHRA-
CITE REGION BEGUN.
TIE-uP Is COMPLETE WITH THREE
EXCEPTIONS.
BOTH PARTIES TO GREAT sTRUG-
GLE CONFIDENT or WINNING.

Hazelton, Pa. Sept 1S-The great
struggle between the anthracite coal
miners Of Pennsylvania and their EN-
ployes was begun yesterday. Each side
is confident OF winning and neither or
the contending forces show any DIS
position to yield. With the exception
of trivial incident at No. 3 colliery OF
the Lehigh Coal Co., where gang OF
boys compelled a mule driver To seek
cover by throwing stones at him, the
contest thus far has been entirely de-
void of violence OF any kind. The ex-
act number OF men who struck cannot
at this time be told, as only estimates
of the number OF men who dld not
start work was made to-day. Reports
received by the united mine workers
officials from the entire anthracite re-
gion were, 10 them, most satisfactory.
In this territory, known as District No.
z, there are 5000 men employed In
and about the mines. OF this number
Ii is conservatively etimated that about
80 per cent. or 500 miners, obeyed
the order OF President Mitchell To quit
work. Five thousand of these belong
to collieries which did not work at all
and the remaining 1900 10 mines which
worked short handed.
Tfe-Up Is Complete
The district south OF this place
known as the South Side was tied up
completely with the exception OF Cole
rain, Beaver Meadow and Carsons
washeries. In this territory the united
mine workers are very strong. On
the north side the upper Lehlgh,
Milnesville, Eberdale and Drifton No.
1 colleries, employing about 1,5OO men,
are shut down, the mines at Lattlmer
a and Pond Greek, employing loo men,
are working full but every other mine
in that blg 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 10 per cent OF their
men. On the west side every cOlliery
started up yesterday minus It's union
men except at the Halle mines, where
the union miners went To work In con-
sequence or misunderstanding.
Hazelton yesterday presented an ami
mated appearance. Strikers from all
the surrounding mining towns came
here early In the day and gathered in
groups on the street corners and dis
cusSed the situation. 1t was most or
derly crowd Around strike headQuar
tiers 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
from every section of the region. Mes
sengers bringing information To him
from nearby points kept coming regu-
larly. President Mitchell estimates
that over 100000 men have struck and
that 10000 more Will join them to-day.
Mitcheus Latest Statement.
President Mitchell last night gave
cut the following statement:
Information received up TO this time
indicates that 112,O00 mine workers are
on strike in the anthracite region. OF
this number 1900 are IN district No.
L; 10000 IN district No. q, and 10000
in district No. Z. Reports received are
TO the effect that large numbers OF
those who went to the mines to-day
Will join the suspension tomorrow.
We feel confident that the entire num-
Der of men employed IL and about the
coal mines of the anthracite district
VIII be idle In the next few deys. The
men appear determined TO continue on
strike until their demands for justice
have been acceded to. The number OF
men now out on strike exceeds that OF
any other industrial contested in the
history of our country"
The operators do not look for a COM
promise now. They are going 10 pre-
pare for the worst. 1t is known that
detective agencies In Pittsburg, Chi
cago and New York have received or
ders to send a large number OF opera
tiyes to the Wyoming region at once
Views OF the Operators.
The operators say they do not hope
to resume work to-day, but point to
the fact that a house devided against
itself is bound to fall. One operator
said: There Is no reason to believe
that the men in the Schuylklll and
Lehigh regions will be a unit FOR strik-
ing. 1t Is a well-known fact that they
are not. That being the case 1t Is only
a question of time when the strike will
collapse.
The miners and business men OF
the Wyoming region are not going to
sit idly by while the business men and
miners of the lower anthracite dis
tricts prosper at their expense. As soon
as II becomes known that our people
are being Disseminated against there
will be break. and the men here will
return 10 work with a rush
President Nichols said when told
what the operator had said that the
wish was only father to the thought
with the coal magnate Mr. Nichols
said the men We're well organized; far
better than the operators ever expected,
and that there would be no break in
tl.e ranks of tae men until they gain
their point. 1Ae Parish Goa! Co. had
five special officers sworn IN last night.
They will guard the company's prop
erty at Buttonwood
From present Indications there will
be no mines In the valley In operation
tomorrow. and the united mine work
ers viii make a strong effort to close
the colliery at Mocanaqua