Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-01-30
MONSTER STRIKE BREWING.
Fairmont Region to be Scene of
the Conflict.


Plans---Hot Time Ahead for all Con.
cerned.
The following article will be u
great interest to all who are concern
ed in the industrial activity of this
section of the state:
| Although but handful OF the
10000 coal miners in West Virginia
are represented at the Indianapolis
convention of the United Mine
Workers, and probably not single
West Virginia or Virginia operator
will attend the conference between
the miners organization and the
soft coal OPERATORS of Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Hi
nois, it leaks out that conditions IN
West Virginias mining districts
are not as placid as the surface in
tiications would indicate--in fact it
can be asserted on reliable authority
that preparations are being made
by the operators OF the Fairmont
! district in the northern section of
this state for bitter struggle with
, their miners the coming spring
In this district there are between
! 10000 and $4,000 miners employed,
: OF whom the greater number are en-
ployes Of the Fairmont Coal Com
pany, a combine Of most OF the oper-
ators of the district, headed by the
: Watsons, of Fairmont. They not
only mine millions Of tons OF coal an
! ! nually, but they own docks on the
great lakes at Chicago, Milwaukee,
! Detroit, Cleveland and other impor-
r tant centres and are their own sell
ing agents.
In most of the mines machines
! are used and the men make very
| good wages For a long time the
: efforts Of the United Mine Workers
organizers in this field met without
any success, though such stars as
] Eugene Debs and others as well
|. known, were sent into the field to as
), sist in the work Of unionizing the
E miners. Judge Jackson's injune-
ton also elfectually aided in proven
: ting organization.
q Of late, however the seeds of dis
/ content, which in a few instances
q took root, appear TO have Dlossomed
: : ard multiplied. for there are indica
!. tions that the meu will demand
$ higher wages this spring, If not the
n United Mine Workers machine
s scale. This state Of affairs has come
:. to the knowledge of the company,
: through the reports of the twenty
g five or more detectives IN its en-
S ploy. These detectives, who arr
: miners, work side by side in the var
s Ious banks with the bona fide miners
. and nothing seems to escape them
r They conceal their identity remark
ably well and are unknown TO the
: miners. though the latter, knowing
: OF their unceaslng presence, are ever
z on the alert to unmask them. De.
= spite all efforts at concealment the
Z, miners plans invariably reported te
the company and as invariably irus'
> trated. Through these detectives
Q the company has learned OF the lm-
s matured plans Of a considerable
number of their men, and every ef
fort is being made to avert the
threatened trouble. Very wisely,
however, the company is making
9 provision for eventualities, and al
the present time the output OF the
Fairmont field-especially that part
of it controlled by the Fairmon'
/ Coal Company--is larger than al
: : any time 10 the past Huge stocks
d Of coal are being accumulated in
5, every available point both IN th'
], mining region and out of it, in ordel
> that long and stubborn fight OF
i the part of the miners may be sue
r cessfullv combatted. There is pos
!, sibility that the strike will not oc
y eur, but the company is taking NJ
chances.
.. 1t is asserted that there is sc
IF cret understanding between the oil
: ficials and leaders of the Unite'
g Nine Workers of America ant
:, leading miners OF the Fairmont Goa
VT FE0lOu. Auu lldt when VIZ pA0PS
time arrives the organization vii
e throw its entire strength and al
= It's energy into its fourth great cam
J, paign for the unionizing Of Yves
!. Virginia's coal fields-for if tn
fight is begun in the Fairmont dis
n trict it is planned to extend tn
y campaign to every section OF Mes
Virginia where coal is mined. IN
s. Guiding the Chesapeake d Ohio AM
Norfolk q Western fields, the Yves
); Virginia Central field and prohabl
. into the Pocahontas territory in WI
: GINA. The mine workers figure on
4 chat the example Of bold fight |
the Fairmont district will make cas-
Z; their work OF extending the strik
y in all other directions.
For years the United Mine Work
o t -. On