Woodruff County news., 1902-05-15
THE ANTHRACITE MINERS.
A Provisional Strike Ordered to Be- gin Monday, May I2, in
 Pennsylvania.
OPERATORS DECLINED TO ARBlTRATE.
Districts, After a Conference at Scrau- ton, Thereupon Ordered Strike, Sub ject to Ratification by Convention, at HazeItOn, Wednesday.


 HazeItOn, Wednesday.
 Scranton, Pa., May 1O.-A general strike of the miners of the anthracite region has been ordered for Monday next, but the order has reserve qualification attached. The question as to whether the etrilze is to be made permanent is left to the deci- sion of convention of delegates of all the local organizations. The miners executive committees of three districts met yesterday morning, and had a three hours ses- sion. At it's conclusion President Mitchell gave out the following:
 Replies to our proposition to sub init the entire question in dispute to an impartial board of arbitration have been received from President Bae1, of the Philadelphia & Reading; Chairman Thomas, of the Erie rail- road; President Truesdale of the Lackawanna and President Olyptant of the Delaware & Hudson, all of whom refuse to join us in the adjust ment of the differences between us by the methods we propose.
 "The executive committees arc now considering the chances of success or possibilities of defeat should strike be inaugurated.
 "A decisive vote on the question will be taken this afternoon"
 At 4:30 p. m. the committeeman again assembled and remained Tn ses- sion until 7:30. When the session was concluded, President Mitchell prepared a statement, and assem- bling the newspaper men at the St. Charles hotel, read to them as fol lows, from a typewriter paper: "To the Anthracite Mine Workers of
 Pennsylvania:
 "GENTLEMEN: The executive com mittees of the anthracite mine work CTS who were delegated by the Shamollin convention to represent you in the negotiations with the rail- road presidents and mine operators for the purpose of obtaining 1n- creased wages, shorter hours and bet ter conditions of employment, have exhausted all peaceable, conciliatory and honorable means at their com mand, and have failed to secure any concessions of a tangible nature, and while under the resolutions adopted by the Shamollin convention author ity was vested in the executive com mittees, should they fail in the ne- gotiations, to inaugurate strike at whatever time in their judgment held out the greatest promise of sue cess, the committees, after three days serious deliberation, feel that in justice to the anthracite nine workers and those dependent upon them, before general strike is il.- augurated, the question should be further considered by a delegate con vention, in which representatives from the various local unions shall bc fully instructed by their constituents and prepared to vote in favor of or in opposition to complete cessation of work.
 'In the meantime all persons en- ployed in or around the colleries, strippings, washeries and breakers are instructed to temporarily abstain from working, beginning with Mon day, May 12, and continuing there after until fna! decision is reached by a delegate convention, which will convene Wednesday morning, May II, at Hazelton, Pa.
 'The basis of representation in this convention shall be one vote for each nfn f., ol, additional 100 members or majority fraction thereof.
 'The executive committees recom- mend that special meetings of all local unions be held on Monday af- ternoon, May 12, for the purpose of selecting delegates and considering the question involved; and it 5 espe- cially recommended that specific in structions be given to delegates as to how they shall vote on the proposi- tion to inaugurate a strike or con tinue work under present conditions.
 'rhe instruction for all men to slls- pend work on Monday does not in- clude fremen, engineers, pumpmen and other labor necessary to preserve the properties of the operators"
 The Arder is signed by all the dis trict presidents and secretaries.
 There was a big crowd about the St. Charles when the order was given out, and the proverbial dropping of a pin would have been audible at any time. President Mitchell, standing in the center of the crowd on chair, read the statement.
 Immediately upon the conclusion o< President Mitchells reading the crowd scattered, and in an incredibly short space of time the news had spread by word of mouth and mes