The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-05-21
HAZlETON COLuER|ES ARE SILENT
ANTHRACITE STRIKE SPREADS
President Mitchell Opens Headquart.
ers at Wilkesbarre--Gov. Stone
Appoints Special Police.

been looking forward to the strike |
that is now upon them, and saved their
money and are considered to be in |
better snaps today for fight than |
they were in the great strike of 1900 |
That struggle ended in the mine |
owners giving the men 10 per cent |
advance after six weeks suspen- |
sion. The operators are on record |
as being unalterably opposed to grant. |
ing the men any concessions and they
have personally informed the mine
workers leaders of the fact. The
workmen fear that the present fight
may mean the destruction of their
organization because they believe that
the mine owners are bent more on
wreckng their union than they are
in opposing the demands for higher
wages and shorter work days.
Senator Hanna says the anthracite
strike of the coal operators has
passed beyond the jurisdiction of the
Civic Federation and there is no
further step the Cancellation Commit
tee can take at present Until both
parties are willing to submit their
grievances to arbitration there is
nothing more to be done by the com.
mittee.
Senator Hanna reviewed the work
of the Civic Federation In its efforts
to adjust the differences between the
operators and miners. The men
were at oil times willing to leave the
matter to arbitration. but the opera.
tors refused The miners were at
last willing to drop all demands but
that of per cent. increase in wages
all along the line. The operators
declined to grant this request because
II will increase the cost of coal. All
steps consistent under the constitu
tion of the Civic Federation were
taken to prevent strike.
AS to the probable outcome of the
present strike Senator Hanna has no
opinion. Nothing definite has re-
suited from his conference with Pres.
ident Gompers. of the American Fed.
Grafton of Labor, and Secretary Eas.
ley. of the Civic Federation.
1t is evident that the operators in.
tend forcing the issue to a finish and
already notices are going out to such
miners as occupy houses in the prop.
erty owned by the operators to quit
the premises. Some say that room
Is wanted for non-union men, but thus
far the operators have refrained from
Offering to hire anybody, and they say
that the mines will remain closed un.
til the trouble is over.
Every colliery in the Hazleton dis.
trict Is as silent as tomb. Outside
of pumpmen. engineers and firemen
there is nobody around the mines, and
in the little settlements that surround
the mouth of each shaft there Is sort
of holiday appearance. the men all be.
ing home and the women arrayed in
bright colors.
Right about here are the great col.
leries of the individual operators.
Coke Bros. & Co. have over 5000 men
on their payroll at Beaver Meadow,
Drifton, Eckley. Oneida, Derringer
and Gowan, G. p. Markle & Co. EN-.
ploy 1900 in the mines at Jeddo and
Ebervile. f. Pardee & Co. had 500
at work in the Cranberry mines, Cal.
vim Pardee & Co. 1000 at Lattmer
and Harwood, while the Lehigh Coal
and Navigation Company's mines at
Janesville, Yorktown and West Halle.
ton employ probably 1000 persons.
Sunday all of them were idle.
From statements made by the min.
ers in the district a strike at this
time was thought unwise. The dele.
gates were instructed to vote for peace
II any concessions were offered Fail.
ing to secure anything the strike
vote was cast. That trouble will
come In this district seems almost
certain, for 1t is said operators are al.
ready planning to open the mines
| within several weeks and the first
importation of non-union labor is like
| ly to bring on clash.
| The question of providing for the
miners was taken up by President
Mitchell. He said that supplies will
be bought and distributed, and that
the fear of starvation will not be a
factor.
Every colllery was guarded Sunday
! by the Coal and Iron police. 1t is
said that the plans for protection are
elaborate, and that when 1t is decided
to import labor the recruits will be
so well guarded that they will be per
fectly safe.
charge of the strike details. say that
| tne pulnplHtn, tnSi1tSIo anu hlcnhci
will not be ordered out just now. II
is said that the engineers could moi
be induced to quit, while the pump
men and tiremen know that theil
places can be filed, and 1t Is doubtful
whether they would strike II ordered
to do so.
Rev. James V. Hussie, at Hazleton
Sunday, asked all the members of the
parish to take an oath abstainini
from the use of intoxicating liquors
during the period of the strike. Very
few, II any, refused. At the principa
service at 10:30 a. m. every person
In the church. which was crowded
stood up and took the oath. A
yespers the oath was administered t.
those who were not present at th'
morning services. Father Hussie de
llvered strong sermon. He toll
the miners that now that they hav,
struck they must stand together TO
the cause. The strike now enters
upon its second week. The weel
just ended was the first, 1t Is said, IL
the history OF the hard coal trad