Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1902-06-20
MINERS STRIKE SITUATION

Wilkesbarre, Pa, June fitzpatrick
Gilday, president of the Central Penn
sylvania district of the United Mine
Workers of America, who came here
to consult President Mitchell on a
matter local to his district, in talk
with correspondent of the Associated
Press gave an insight as to what the
soft coal miners in his territory are
doing to help their brother workmen
in the anthracite territory. Mr.. Gil
day said there are $4,000 soft coal min
ers in his district and every one OF
them is taking a deep interest in the
struggle now going on in this region.
/ On the second day of the strike Mr..
Gilday sent out instructions to every
| check weighman and pit committee
man at the mines in his district to
prevent the shipment of soft coal into
anthracite territory, and thus far, he
said, very little coal from his district
has taken the place of anthracite
President Gilday said he had no per
sonal knowledge that the other bi.
| luminous presidents were doing the
same as himself, but he felt sure they
| were. Some soft coal is coming into
the anthracite market from central
Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Vir-
ginia, but it is mostly of non-union
production.
When asked regarding the feeling in
his territory as to general strike t.
help the hard coal miners, Mr.. Gilday
said
4 Our men will do whatever President
Mitchell says. They can have our
financial support and if Mr. Mitchell
sees fit to ask our men to lay down
their picks they will do it promptly.
do not believe, however, there will
be a general strike of the soft coal
miners, because the anthracite men
are going to win without it."
Asked as to how the miners expect
to win in view of the fact that they
have practically reached the limit of
their resources in this region in press
ing the operators and the latter still
stand out firmly. he replied:
"By the slow destruction of mine
property. By that l mean that if they
do not give the men the hours and
pay they ask for, the men will not
consent to go into the mines and pre-
serve the properties. The collieries
will fill with water if the strike is not
soon ended, and the mines will begin
to squeeze or cave in. All the tim
bermen are out, and the timber which
holds up the roofs of the mines viii
soon begin to give way. These
squeezes will cost thousands of dol
lars to repair, and will probably be
the cause of the abandonment of many
costly operations. When the investors
pockets begin to feel it change III
the attitude of operators will come
and the miners can wait for the
change"
President Gilday's mission here wa:
to get President Mitchells consent tt
continue the strike against the Son
man Shaft Coal company near Portage
Pa, and also the financial support O.
the national organization. He re
ceived both. The strike at that place
was begun on April 16, because the
company would not recognize the un
ion and sign the wage scale. Abou
$50 men are involved.
The strike at the Bloomington mine:
near Phillipsburg, Pa, has been set
tied and the men will return to worl
: tomorrow.
Five hundred men struck here Tues
day because four men would not joil
the union. The four men have qui
work.
President Mitchell was in frequen
/ telegraphic communication with hi
) men in the west on general organiza
ton work. He had no information t,
impart on the strike in this region o
| the various suspensions.
Clarksburg, w. Va, June 17.-Al
effort is being made to induce the rail
; road men to refuse to handle Goa
7 mined in this district. Success in thi
} would mean a complete suspension O
: mining.
l There is some little uneasines
t among operators. Organizers will
! leave this field tomorrow for the Yves
Virginia Central to induce a strik
( among the miners of the Davis-Elkin
t syndicate. Mother" Jones and other
3 addressed 800 men today at Willoy
9 Creek school house. near Monongaf
: The crowd was largely composed O
e women, children and farmers.
8 Charleston, w. Va, June .17.-It
s believed here that mining will be re
k sumed generally in the Kanawha riN
n err district and in the Elkhorn regioI
i The Kanawha-Hocking company ha
> announced semi-monthly pay days an
), made other concessions. 1t is b.
n lieved there will be general resuml
ton along the Kanawha & Wester
t. railroad tomorrow.
G.. H. Purcell is now in the field wit
authority signed by President Mitche
# for the decision in the West Virgini
), strike.
II Prices Paid at Spokane.
o Poultry and eggs-Chickens, old, II
8 per Id live weight; young chicken