The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-08
Strike Is Apparently Broken,
Though Union Leaders Say
They Will Hold Out.
ARE PREPARED FOR STRUGGLE.
Declare They Will Continue the
Fight Until April. 1906, at
Least, When Agreement
With Letter Will Expire.
,r CT ,rn, rn,coprEspnNnENr.

BY A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
Zcigler. H.. Dec. TO all appearances
within the mining town of Zcisle! the
backbone Of the strike is broken. The
mine is running full time and is produc-
ing and shipping an average Of 500 tons
daily, and since the coming of the State
troops the disturbance about the town has
been gradually reduced until in the last
three nights the few shots which have
been fired came perhaps from the guards
who were unnecessarily alarmed by seeing
objects in the darkness.
Members of the United Mine Workers
of America, who inaugurated the strike
and who are still picketing the town with
the purpose OF persuading the nonunion
men to quit the Letter mine, say they
have not withdrawn from their position
of absolute opposition to the ultimatum
which Mr.. Letter delivered last July and
which was followed by the wailluut of the
miners and the declaration of the strike
The leaders of the organiza ton. which
has its headquarters al Camp Turner and
representatives in every one of the towns
and villages surrounding Zeigler say they
are prepared to continue the struggle in
uefiflteiy and will do So They have hs
nina them the full support OF the State
ana national organizations and insist that
tHey are In shape TO keep up their end
Oh the contest until some settlement is
rea ched. -
In April. 1906. the agreement now exist
inS between the mine operators and III.
ininers nanTa expires by limitation and 4 new
conference VIII then be necessary. Repre-
sentatlVes of the miners state that unless
s9me terms of peace are agreed upon in
the meantime they will continue the
strues!e until that time, at least
me LeitCr managers consider the y1rnpo-
sitlon from the same standpoint. except
Una Inat Ihey see no definite time for the end
tie iortifyng of the town, their arrange
ment OF machinery and their contracts
with laDOrerS and for their product are
eased on the assumpt On that they are
racing an absolutely indefinite continua-
tlon OF the conditions now present at
Zeigler.
Tney repeatedly emphasize. and Mr..
Letter in an interview in Chicago recently
said that a union miner never will be per-
mittcd TO work in Ieigier. 1t is generally
believed here that there, will neyer be Il
move made or Il proposal accepted by Mr..
Letter, which will lead to compromise
which has for a basis q recognition of the
union in any shape or form
SO long as there Is protection for the
nonunicn men who are brought in from
the outside. the Letter mines can be op-
Grated, and when the protection, military
or otherwise. ceases there will be diii-
Guilty in keeping the new men at work.
This Is conceded by both sides.
For the past three nights there has been
no trouble whatever. a few random shots
have been fired. but upon investigation
the responsibility was found to rest with
the guards. who imagined vain things in
the darkness.
Last night five shots rang out in rapid
succession at the Dial blockhouse. and
there was instant alarm throughout the
camp. Word came over the telephone that
one Of the enemy had been surrounded
and had been wounded and perhaps ia
tally. Judging by the groans. Re-enforce
meuts were hurried TO the scene, but no
trace Of the intruder was at first to be
found.
Loud cries of anguish finally led the ad-
vance guard to deep ditch. where, in the
last throes which preceded terrible
death. lay blind and crippled mule. The
| mule was one Of the strikers: at least. he
| came out of the mine upon the day that
the strike was declared, since which event
| he had been given the privilege of the
spreading fields of the Letter property. To-
| day he rests in an unna rked grave not far
| from the pumphouse. which has figured
| largely In reports from the front, the first
victim since the advent of the army into
the strike-ridden county of Franklin,
State of Illinois.