The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-25
Big STRIKE ORDERED
MINERS OF TWO VIRGINIAS To
CEASE WORK.
WILL AFFECT 10000 MEN.
DEMANDS SET FORTH IN LETTER
TO OPERATORS.

Coal Being Mined In the Two States
at Lower Rates Than Anywhere
Else in World, Say Miners-They
Demand Adoption IF the Hunting
ton Scale, which Means 10 to -
Per Cent. Incrense-They Under
stand What Hnrdshjps They Must
Endure and Assume Responsible
ity-A Conference with Operators
Is Sought.
Huntington, w Va, May 24.-The
United Miners, who have been in ses-
sion here for. the past two days, adj
journed tonight after ordering a gem
eral strike of all the miners in West
Virginia and Virginia to begin June Z
and last until the demands of 10 to %
per cent increase in wages are grant
ed The resolutions sent to the mine
operators are as follows:
I'VE are mining coal in many places
in these states at lower rate than
any other place in the world. We
have decided to cease work on and af-
ter Saturday, June Z, until the scale
of wages adopted at Huntington, w.
Va, March Is, 1902 a copy of which is
herewith furnished you, has been COM
piled with or your have met us in
has been mutually agreed upon.
In notifying you of our
decision to cease work we desire to
impress upon you the fact that we
fully realize the responsibility of such
step. We understand the hunger
and other hardships that we and our
families will have to endure. We
know that it means loss of profits to
you and that many thousands not di-
rectly connected with our trade
will suffer if the mines are
closed. We have sought to avoid
this by conciliatory measures,
and we say to you now that we are
ready to meet you in joint conference
for the purpose of considering, and if
possible, adjusting these grievances at
any time and place that may be mu-
tually agreed upon, either before or
after the suspension has taken place,
and desire you to- accept this as a
>..Ic rs invitation to that effect"
VIII Have Wide sympathy.
From authentic sources it is learned
that the mine workers in case a strike
is called expect to have enlisted 100000
miners and laborers at the beginning in
Virginia and West Virginia. which is
over three fourths' of the working pop
ulation of the coal sections, and they
will also enlist in their cause the many
trades unions and the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, which are thoroughly
organized, especially in West Virginia,
which will aid them through sympa-
thy. This. with those who will have to
quit work on account of the closing of
the mines, will reach a total of $4,000
idle men in the two states.
The Suspension Order.
The following is the order authoriz-
| ing the suspension of work:
| ITO the Miners and Laborers of Vir-
ginia and West Virginia: Greeting
! All the efforts on the part of your Of
| ticers to secure a joint conference have
/ failed. The operators have absolutely
| ignored our requests for a meeting.
| For the reasons specified in a circular
letter sent to the operators under
| this date, a copy of which is herewith
| incloSed, you are respectfully notified
that a suspension of work will take
| place on and after June 7, 1902, at
mines under the jurisdiction, control
or influence of district No. II until the
scale adopted by the convention at
Huntington have been complied with
or the operators have met in joint
! conference
by order of Huntington convention:
u. A. Richards, President,
CLARK Johnson, Secretary,
United Mine Workers of America"