The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-16
Miners At HIBBING
TO END THE STRIKE
Deputy Labor Commissioner
Reports Men Anxious to
Resume Work

State Labor Commissioner Williams
is confident that the miners at Hibbing
will return to work tomorrow morn
ing.
There was a break in the ranks of
the striking miners at Hibbing on Fri
day and Saturday, when several of
them returned to work. II is expected
that the mines will be running full
force with the old hands by Monday.
Commissioner Williams yesterday re-
ceived a report from Julius Moersch.
one of his deputies, indicating that the
labor difficulties were practically ended
and also giving a resume of the exist
ing conditions.
Ninety per cent of the miners
states Mr.. Moersch, "are not in favor
of the strike. They appear TO be
without leader, and while they feel
bitterly toward the mining company.
they feel inclined to return to work.
The strike at the Lake Superior
Consolidated mines started April 10.
On Saturday, April s, 124 men were
employed in the Rust mine, and the
same number expected TO start to work
on Monday morning. On that morn
ing, however, twenty-five or thirty
malcontents remained on the surface
after reporting for work, while the re-
mainder went below to work. Those
who remained waited upon the super
intendent and demanded a raise in
wages. They were then receiving an
average of S252 per diem, the individ-
ual wages ranging from $1.37 to 81 per
day. The superintendent notified the
miners that ii was not within his pow
er to grant the request, as they were
not employed by the company directly,
ThFOnUh "a
firm, and advised them TO see the gen.
eral superintendent.
Attempt to Stop Miners
'-The men, however, were not pacified
and started down into the mine to stop
the workers there. The superintendent
ordered all work stopped TO avoid vio-
lence and damage to the mines The
strikers then went to other mines, but
the work had also been stopped there
before they arrived. Little disorder
occurred throughout the day. The
miners were incensed at being baked,
and when orders were issued to con-
tinue work the next night with new men
at the Porter Bros. stripping plant
threats of "a killing" were made by the
miners, most of whom were Italians
Hungarians and Firms. The riot that
occurred then, in which two miners
were killed, has been accurately re-
ported IN the newspapers.
"Hibbing was orderly on the 18th, and
no drunken men were seen on the
streets. In the afternoon, however. a
party of miners started for Chisholm,
with the intention of stopping work
there, but word reached the operators
before they arrived and work was sus-
pended.
Both the accusations stating that
organized labor and the mine owners
were responsible for the riots and the
killing of the two men are groundless.
There is no organization, as ii is i'm
possible among such men of various
nationalities without great effort. A
strong union, with intelligent men at
its head, would, however, be advan-
tageous TO both employer and employe
The sentiment in Hibbing does not
range strongly with the strikers, and
there is considerable divided opinion.
Some of the miners returned to work
today, and | have been led to under
stand that work will be resumed by all
on Monday morning."