New-York tribune., 1900-10-01
PRICE THREE CENTS.
MINERS WAGES RAISED.
READINGS OFFER, HOWEVER,
MEETS WITH NO RESPONSE.
INCREASE or TEN PER CENT MADE
MANY DEPUTIES ON HAND-MINEs
WHICH MAY BE ABANDONED.

MANY DEPUTIES ON HAND-MINES
WHICH MAY BE ABANDONED.
lBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNEl
Pottsviile, Penn. Sept. 3O-R C. Luther, gen.
eral superintendent OF the Reading Coal and
Iron Companys eollieries. this evening decided
to post the following important notice. dated to-
morrow. October l:
This company will pay an advance OF 10 per
cent IN the net wages Of all men and bows en-
pIoyed at its collieries- This advance will take
effect to-day
Beneath this notice another was posted. which
read as follows:
Fellow Mine Workers, United Mine Workers OF
America:
Dy Mr. Luther, of the Philadelphia and Reading
Coal and Iron Company. but wait until you hear
workers OF America or until YOU have decided
oy your own locals what is right for you to do
c. B. POTTER.
Mr. Potter is an officer in the district branch
of the United Mine Workers of America
The Reading company's advance for the last
half of September and the first half OF Octo-
Der had previously been fixed at 6 per cent
above the 81 30 basis. The scale for the pre-
ceding thirty days was at the So so basis
The advance of 10 per cent offered in the posted
notice by the Reading Company is separate and
distinct from the natural scale increase. and
hence the total increase to the miners would be
Is per cent
STRIKERS HOLDING BACK
This is considered the most important con.
cession vet made TO the miners and confirms
what The Tribune published in these dispatches
some days ago. To the general public II would
seem that this would induce all Of the Reading
companyS men to go back. as they have no
grievances respecting the company store. the
company cI,o-
/ etc The company's offer is the most impor-
tant development in the strike situation for the
last few days. and vet the labor leaders de-
cline to accept il for the men They saw
that they will not agree to any terms until
the organization is recognized. and they receive
word from President Mitchell to resume
To-day was field day for the leaders OF the
/ United Mine Workers. and il was devoted ex-
clusively to missionary work in that portion OF
/ Schuylkin where the miners have been waver-
/ ing or are still at work. This evening it was
/ learned from a reliable source that from in
formation received from all the districts fewer
men will be at work tomorrow at Reading col
l1eries than at any time in the last two weeks
NO SHIPMENTS TO GO TO-DAY.
For the first time in years practically no coal
will come over the Reading Railway tomorrow
for tidewater- Everything at the mines was
cleaned up to-day, and to-norrow's product
will not be sent out until early Tuesday morn
ing
There is every sign at hand this evening that
| tomorrow viii be an important day in the
schuyIkin coal regions from one END 10 the
other. This is due to the determination OF some
Of the operators. including the Reading Com
pany. to resume work at some of the mines
which have been tied up in the last week The
! increased number OF deputies which were sent
into this territory Yesterday were distributed
to-day at places where trouble may be ex-
pected. and this bodies no good Men who are
| still at work say they do not want protection
from them and if there is a parsonage in all
the world who is thoroughly detested by a
| striker 1t is armed deputy. Thus IT viii be
| seen that their presence is distastefuI 70 both
sides but the company believes their presence
necessary. With armed deputies on guard and
the miners excited it is admitted that it will
take little to make the situation perilous.
SOLDIERS INCENsED BY ATTACK
In view Of the preparations to resume work
| wherever possible tomorrow little is heard this
| evening either about the proposed 10 per cent
| increase or arbitration The shooting from am
| bush last night near Shenandoah at two officers
of the National Guard the attack on two others
in a secluded place with a volley of stones and
storming the sentinels Of the Sth Regiment with
stones near midnight have excited the troops.
The mountain sides were secured by one hun
dred men, but the offenders escaped Some OF
the deputies have been withdrawn from the Ma
| hanoy Valley and sent to the west end OF the
county, presumably to guard the company's
property about Brookside. Good Spring and Lin
coin collieries where the miners are at work full
handed and do not wish to strike Another
crowd Of deputies. for whom has been provided
a special train Of seven cars. which they eat
and sleep, still remain at PaIO Alto ready for the
orders which will take them tomorrow either TO
Afinersville or HeckscherviIle Valley
WORKS MAY BE CLOSED PERMANENTLY.
It is said on excellent authority that should
more men around Minersville go out on strike
the Reading will Immediately issue orders to
close up the Glendower and Richardson cOllieries
for all time. This would necessarily seal the
fate of the many residents in that section, for
| there would then be only the Eastridge CoIiiery
dred men. In the west end Of that district all
are reported at work There are here the Phoenix
/ park and Otto COllieries, the last named having
recently been remodelled. and which started
| work about two weeks ago.
The Reading Company operates thirty-nine
| colIieries all except twelve Of which idle
The officials declare that after the trouble ia
| over their operations viii be more cOncentrat-
! ed which may mean an abandonment OF some
| ~ the mines Their policy tomorrow is to have
armed deputies stationed where employees actu-
alIy want 70 work but are afraid of intimida-
tion. They do not. however. intend 10 aggra-
yate the strikers by calling on the military
The soldiers remain around Shenandoah Glen
/ dover and Richardson. in the Heckscherville
valley and the Phoenix Park and Otto cOlleries
are working short handed
/ It looks ike complete tie-up In that vicinity
I Tomorrow Miles DOugherty a labor leader
| is organizing the miners in the Reading Com
Danv's territory. He said that the Eagle Hill
and Silver Creek cOllieries. north OF this place.
would without doubt. be idle tomorrow
| This is confirmed by miners employed at these
! Tonight the strike leaders freely al