The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-12
WORK STOPS.
Mining in the Anthracite Region
at a StandstiH.
10000 Members of the Mine
Workers Union Are Idle
Pending the Final Decision Re-
garding a Strike.
A SABBATH STIFFNESS
Pervades the Entire Country
Under MitchelI's Orders.
Miners Are Out Who Remained
at Work in 1900.
A SABBATH STIFFNESS

Scranton, Pa, May 12.-President
Mitchell of the United Mine Workers
stated this morning that the tie up in
the three anthracite districts is COM
plete. Approximately 100000 men and
boys are idle, of which number only
one-half are in the Lackawanna and
Wyoming region. In every instance,
Mr.. Mitchell said, the order to suspend
operation had been obeyed. About 20,
600 mine workers are out in the Lehigh
district and $4,000 in the Schuylkill field.
An official of the Delaware. Lacka-
wanna & Western Railroad company
said today that corporation had no in
tention of resorting to a lockout.
Continuing he said: I'VE do not in
tend to irritate the men and the other
companies are of the same mind. Moth
ing will be done until after Wednesday.
The situation is now in the hands of the
miners. After Wednesday it will be in
our hands.
We appreciate the fact that John
Mitchell does not want strike. Neither
do the companies. despite what has been
said to the contrary. While we do not
want a fight. we will give the men all
the fight they desire if they decide that
there is to be one"
From the same official source comes
/ the announcement that the Delaware,
LackaWanna & Western company has
stopped selling coal Not a carload has
been shipped since Saturday morning
An order must now be approved by the
head of the coal department before
/ being filled. The other companies have
taken similar action and it is believed
a coal fam inc Will speedily result if the
suspension is made permanent on We'd
nesday. The election of instructed dele
/ gates is in progress today and will con-
| tinue tonight and tomorrow. Mr.. Mitch
1 ell went to Wilkesbarre last night but
he says there was no significance in the
trip.
shamokin, Pa, Ma 12.-The forty
/ five coIlieries in the Ninth mining dis
trict were completely tied up this morn
| ing by the 2O,655 employees. excluding
! bosses, firemen, engineers and pump
men, enforcing the three days suspen-
| sion ordered by the Scranton conven-
ton. Two-thirds Of the collieries are in
/ the vicinity of this place and are owned
principally by the Philadelphia & Read
| ing Pennsylvania and Lehigh coal COM
| panies. While all of the cOlliery whis-
| ties were blown, the men kept away
! from the operations There were no dis
/ turbanceS- Miners will be addressed in
/ numerous sections of the district today
by their leaders, who will explain all
| that occurred at the New York and
| Scranton meetings. Afterward the 10
| Gals" will meet to elect delegates and in
| struct them whether to vote for or
against strike at the Hazelton con-
| VentiOn.
SUSPENSION AT HAZELTON.
Hazelton, Pa, May 12-Mining ope-
| rations in this portion of the Seventh
| district are completely suspended to-
day. The whistles at many of the col
lieries were sounded this morning as
| usual, but not as a signal for the men
| to come to work, for none of the COM
| panies made an effort to start up their
strength of the union was such that the
| attempt would be futile. The only class
of employees at work are the 6remen,
the engineers, the pump runners, a
| small number of non-union repair men
and clay stripping hands who have no
| connection with the miners.
Coal company officials refuse to say
whether they will make move for a
| resumption on Thursday in case We'd
| nesdays convention declares in favor
( of the continuation Of the striks. Sun
day Quietude reigned throughout the
PANTHER CREEK TIED UP.
Tamaqua, Pa, May 12.-Of the 1000
men employed by the Lehigh Coal &
Navigation company in the Panther
! Creek valley, less than score reported
| for duty today. At the No. 4 breaker
! the slate picker boys went to work as
| usual and the breaker is now cleaning
| the coal which was mined on Satur-
| day. No effort has been made to force
| the boys to quit work and up to the
| time the whistles blew this morning the
| company expressed the belief that a suf-
ficient number of men to operate the
| collieries would report for duty.
This afternoon the various locals of
the United Mine Workers win hold
special meetings and elect delegates to
attend the Hazelton convention on
Wednesday, The delegates will be in
structed to vote for a strike unless con
cessions are granted in the meantime.
A SABBATH STIFFNESS.
Pottsville, Pa, May 12.-From the
Panther Creek valley IN the extreme
east of this coal basin, to WilliamstOWn
in the west and from the Mahanoy and
Shenandoah valleys comes the same
story of idleneSS at the hundreds of col
leries in obedience TO the order of Ma
tional President Mitchell of the United
Mine Workers of America.
It is even greater than a Sabbath
stiffness for not a man of the organiza-
ton coming under the suspension order
is at work today
Meetings will be held today and to-
morrow by the locals to instruct their
delegates to the HazeIton convention
and the sentiment of opinion at this
| time is favorable to a strike.
The local officials of the Philadelphia
& Reading Coal & Iron company put in
an appearance at an unusually ear1y
hour this morning, evidently anticipat-
ing some emergency.
Nothing of an exciting nature was re-
ported and the augmented police force
was not called upon for any special
duty
RESPONDED UNANIMOUSLY.
Shenandoah. Pa, May 12.-The mint
workers of Shenandoah, Mahanoy City
and vicinity, responded unanimously
this morning to the request of the
Scranton meeting to remain away from
| the mines pending the result Of the
| convention which viii be held at Hazel