Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-06-05
THE MINERS STRIKE
The Whole Anthracite Region in
an Apprehensive Mood.
WAITING BUMPERS and ENGINEERS
This Week May Witness More OF Less
Dtsturbance-An Army OF Special Po-
licemen sworn In to Protect Nom
Union Men and Property.

portant week in the progress of tn
anthracite coal miners strike find
the entire region in an apprehensiv
mood. At seven o'clock this mornin,
the order of the United Mine Work
ers of America, calling out all tn
stationary engineers, fremen am
pumpmen unless the companies gran
them an eight-hour work day a
present wages, will go into effect an'
no one can foretel the outcome o.
the new order. Victory for eithel
side will be OF immense advantage
and both parties to the controversy
are striving with all the power a,
their command to win. II the unior
succeeds in shutting down the pumps
the mine properties will suffer dam
age that may reach into millions OF
dollars, and If the employers should
be able to keep the water out of their
workings without the aid of organ.
lied labor 1t means that the power
of the union in the anthracite region
has reached its limit and that all
help in the effort to force the mine
owners to grant the demands of the
great army Of $4,000 men must come
from some outside source. The mine
workers say they will preserve the
property of the companies if the en-
gineers, pumpmen and fremen are
given what they ask for, and the
companies say they will permit no
outsiders to fix the hours and wages
OF their men. Neither side last night
showed the slightest disposition to
yield and in the words of one mining
superintendent, its fight to a fin
ish."
President Mitchell said last night
that this is the first time in the his
tory of his organization that the
union was compelled to call out this
class of employees and thus endanger
the safety OF the mines. In all other
instances, he said these demands
were granted.
There is fear throughout the
coal belt that the coming week will
witness more or less disturbances
To-day is looked upon by well-in-
formed persons as a critical day, but
it is not believed that any very seri-
Gus trouble will occur. 1t is a fact
that the labor leaders have counseled
the strikers to remain quiet and com
NIT no violation Of the law. 1t is
claimed by the union that nearly all
of the pumpmen and firemen will quit
work and that about three-fourths of
these engineers will also refuse TO
continue work. This claim was pri-
vately admitted by company Off
cial familiar with the situation.
While the plans of the union have
not been made public, it is known
that a thorough system has been
mapped out with a view of getting
out those men who will refuse to
quit to-day. A house-to-house can
vass will be started, which, no doubt,
will have considerable effect. The
methods that have been adopted in
regard to the non-union men who
will take the strikers places are not
known.
Practically all the non-union men
to be employed are now in the re-
gion. The companies say that the
number OF those who have volun-
teered to fill strikers places has
been surprisingly large and that no
difficulty has been encountered in Sc
Letting good men. An army of ap-
proximately 5000 armed coal and iron
policemen, sworn in under a law of
the state OF Pennsylvania, is in the
field ready to protect these men and
these mining properties. There are
also scattered throughout the coun-
try, il is said, about 1000 men who
are doing secret work for the compa-
MES. Every colliery in the coal belt
has either board or barbed wire
fence around it. At some of the
mines camp" cars are lying on the
siding for the accommodation of non
union men, most Of whom will live
within the collery confines during
the suspension.
II was extremely quiet around
strike headquarters yesterday Sher-
in Schadt posted notice at each
colliery in Lackawanna county warn
ing all persons not employed at the
mines to keep away from those prop
critics and not to violate the law in
any way.
Mr. Mitchell said that he was well
satisfied with the progress of the
strike. He had nothing to say re-
garding the probability of calling