New-York tribune., 1906-04-01
MINERS QUIT WORK.
MORE THAN 10000 OUT.
Operators Not to Employ Non.
Union Men and Guards.
rsv Tey-xrsph ,s Tne Tribune.


wfkes-Barre. Penn. March 31.-One hundred
and sixty thousand mine workers of the anthra-
cite region. comprising miners lsbOrers. COM
pany hands and breaker boys. quit work this
afternoon in obedience to the suspension order
issued by Mr.. Mitchell and their district prez-
dents The union officials say that all OF these
men will remain away from the coIIieries on
Monday morning. and that not ton OF coal viii
be mined The local unions have appointed COM
mittees OF pickets. who will line the roads to the
collieries on Monday morning TO persuade any
VINO might desire to go 10 work 10 change their
minds
The operators said this afternoon that the
whole situation was up to the miners some
OF the companies have posted notices declaring
that work will continue on Monday Others.
whose rules are to put up notices only when
WORK Is to be discontinued have posted mona
Inc whistles at their breakers viii blow or, !
NiOhoay morning at the usual time and the COL
hery gates will Open The men who renort for
WORK viii be paid whether the coIliery "a ahIa -,
work or not. The operators say that thew ar,
acting fairly and squarely to the public +bas
'heS want to mine coal. and will do so under
'''e present agreement and that II Ia impossible
20 grant the average 80 per cent demanded By
the mine workers unless they raise the nr,~a e
coal 81 20 to meet the Increased 1ah,- 80.
1t Is also the policy OF the ooarator. -
SAID To-day. and this is a new depar+,,ra g.
henl. not to trritate the mine workers a. .,.-l
strike oy employing non-union workers 80
tney are not employing armed guards 70 Aa,r.tI
their arms in the faces OF the strikers "a 49,
ald IN 1soZ The operators remember the trouhI.
that tney had then with the guards and IN. trn-
pOl'eu men, ana they have determined not 20
uHuo.s 80 INC same experience this time They
| VIII have no guards. and they win frnnor. ~
workers according to their present plans a,s
furthermore, they will rely on the good .s,.a -
\ the mining communities in aiding them To n-.
vent tneir colier1es being flooded This IS a r.
narkaole test Of the mine workers good VIII
Inc MINIS workers know that If our mines ara.
| noooed' one operator explained TODAY ..it r-,r,
oe some time after the strike is declared or be-
| fore we VIII be able TO pump them out and ziv.
| them work. After 1902 some OF tha co11,s...- :
were not cleaned out for eighteen months. Wa
expect the mine workers to realize that prevent.
| ing US from keeping our pumps going means
! mat they are hurting themselves more than tbsv-
are hurting US If they do not prevent us from,
keeping them pumped out they will be ready r.,
work when the strike ends. IF they do prevent
US. then they must bear the consequences.
AT meetings Of the local union this afternoon
the men declared their determination to remain
on strike until they received further orders from
President Mitchell They say that thew can
carry on a strike for some time without ask
ing for aid from the union. and that they ara
in far better condition for resisting now than
they ever We're before
The coal companies say that they have enough
coal on hand TO supply tile ordinary demand for
this time Of the year and through the summer:
for they have anticipated strike for some time
and their coal cellars and bins are fun. so that
with this stock on hand IL will be unnecessary
for the companies to make any effort to mins
coal for several months
Foreign born mine workers who have been
awaiting the suspension Of the strike order to
withdraw their savings from banks and return
TO their native homes now busily arranging
for their departure. and steamship agents expect
that in the next week several thousand viii
leave this region