The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-11-10
THOUSANDS OF COAL MINERS
WALK OUT.
GOING TO OTHER STATES
Strikers Leaving by Hundreds for
Mines Elsewhere - Work
Awaiting Them There.

a
10000 coal miners went on strike to-
day for IN eight hour day, increased
wages and other concessions. The
strike was ordered by the national ex-
ecutive officers of the United Nine
workers of America after the coal
companies refused to confer with
union representatives concerning the
demands of the men. OF the idle men,
5000 are in the southern coal fields,
1000 in the northern coal nelds, and
1900 in Fremont county. One hundred
mines have been closed down.
A few independent properties in the
northern coal fields and elsewhere will
not stop work. Some of the operators
have agreed to concede the e%ight-hour
day and increased wages. Less than
1000 miners will remain at work, &C
cording to reports from the affected
districts. The announcement comes
that 600 have gone out in Colfax
county, New Mexico. The others in
that territory are now negotiating
with the mineowners.
Making Attempts to Continue.
The Colorado Fuel and Iron, Victor
Fuel and Northern Coal and Coke COM
panies are the largest producers. Prac-
tically all of their Nopert1es have been
tied UP by the action of the miners.
However, they are making efforts to
continue operations under the protec-
ton of a strong guard. It is estimated
that there are about 40 coal mines
in the state with IN output of some
100000 tons a year and about 1,OO0,-
900 of coke.
It will be the policy of the United
Mineworkers to depopulate the various
coal districts by sending the IDLE men
and their families to Illinois, Indian
Territory, Missouri, Iowa and other
states where work has been secured
for them. Some 5000 fares to these
places have already been arranged
for by the United Mineworkers n
today hundreds OF the strikers are
on their way to the new fields.
Trinidad the Storm Center.
The storm center will be about
Trinidad in the southern fields, where
the number of miners aggregates
5000. At the towns of Hastings and
Delalo, where the Victor Coal COM
pany employs $50 men, it is reported
that 1000 were working today. Both
places are strongly guarded and stran-
gers are not allowed to enter them.
General Manager James F. Welborn,
of the Colorado Fuel and IRON COM
pany, announced today that the COM
pany would continue to operate rs
mines and the public need ave no
fear of a coal famine. At the office
of the Victor Fuel company it was
announced that all it's mines were in
operation and would continue to De
operated. The large companies operat-
ing in the northern fields admitted
that their mines were closed. Not over
$50 men are working in the northern
field.
Effects Felt Already.
Despite the claims of the coal com-
panies, h~ouseholders in Denver n
other cities, who have not laid in a
winters supply of coal, found it i'm
possible today to secure a ton of coal
for immediate delivery. The supply
of Ignite coal has already been ex-
hausted and companies having other
kinds of coal booked orders for not
more than one ton subject to two
weeks delay in delivery.
The railroad companies claim to
have enough coal stored to meet all
their requirements tor some time.
The Colorado & Southern railroad
is reported to have confiscated nearly
one thousand cars of coal which had
been loaded last week and were stand
ing on sidings.
Militia in Readiness.
Sheriff Clark of Las Animas county
has enrolled 60 deputies. State mill
tia is held in readiness to be dispatch
ed to the coal regions at the first call
from the sheriffs Of the counties at
fected.
o. B. Prickett, Osteopathic Physi-
clan, 1912 First avenue north. 55-tf