The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-16

Upwards of 225 stationary firemen
from the various boroughs. all the way
from Forest City to Scranton, decided
last night at a meeting held in O'Mal-
ley's hall. North Scranton, to ratify
the action taken by the convention at
Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. in declaring
a general strike. to take effect today.
The meeting was conducted under the
auspices of Local union. No. so, and
was addressed by State President j. +.
Mullahy. of Kingston, and State Sec
retary and Treasurer James \. Ger
rity, of Pittston. Their remarks were
enthusiastically received. and the vote
in favor of ratifying the strike order
was unanimous
1t was decided to order all flremen
out today at all places where the de-
mand has not been granted, and to
place o'clock this afternoon as the
time limit for obedience to this order.
DEMAND MADE.
The demand made by the frcmen is
for an eight-hour day without a reduc-
ton in the present scale of wages,
which averages about SIZE for a day
averaging twelve hours, the day shift
working ten hours and the night shift
working fourteen. This demand was
formulated at a convention held on
June Is, and was presented to all the
coal companies and a number of the
other large concerns throughout the
state employing stationary tiremen.
At the convention held on Sunday
last, unfavorable responses We're re-
Ceived from the officials of all the coal
companies in the anthracite region and
| from aiority of the other companies
upon whom the demand was made.
| The strike order was then forthcoming
In this valley there are about 60C
| stationary firemen, who will go out to-
| day, according to President Mullahy
| The, vast ma ajority of these are en-
| ployed at the Collieries of the com
| panies mining anthracite coal thie
valley. The stationary f1remen en-
ployed at the mills. by the street rail-
way companies and in and around large
| buildings are expected to strike also
| where they are not now working eigh
hours, but the strike is to be essen.
TALLY strike of firemen employed a
| the mines. There were none hut mine
fremen present at last nights meeting
WIDESPREAD EFFECT.
The officers of the association appca
to be confident that the strike will re
suit in the shutting down of the ma
jority of the mines throughout the an
thracite region and the Consequen
throwing out of employment of owe
a hundred thousand miners. drivers
laborers, etc.
They maintain that the firemen's as
sociation has been promised and vii
receive the hearty support of the Unit
ed Mine Workers of America, and tha
the companies will be unable to fill tn
places OF the strikers with members o
that organization. They maintain
further, that if non-uniOn men are Sc
cured the mine workers will refuse I
work in the mines while they are EN-
ployed.
Il feel confident" said President Mul
lahy to a Tribune man last night, "tha
| the mine workers will stand by us /
this fight to a man, and that the com
panies will have a hard job runnin
their collieries II they persist m refus
ing our demands. We are beginnin
this strike under most auspicious cir
cumstanCes, and I feel sure that W
will be successful" The tiremen con
tend that they will also have the SUP
port of the engineers in their struggle
fuse to do any firing.
| 4 mass meeting of fremen will
held this morning at 8 o'clock in O'MaI
ley's hall, where strike headquartel
are to be esta bHshcd.