Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-01
COAL REGION HAS|
100000 IDLE MEN
Lacks an Agreement on the
Wage Scale.
SOME WILL CONTINUE WORK
Suspension Skips Indiana and Cen
tral Pennsylvania.
SOME WILL CONTINUE WORK
NEW MINE WORKERS OFFICERS
Shutdown Affects Only the Bitumi-
nous Miners-Anthracite Pros
pect Is Better.

There is general shutdown of
mines in the soft coal region
pending an adjustment of the
wage scale. 1t is not known how
serious the suspension will be,
but there is talk of settlement in
many quarters. There are ESQ.,
ooo men idle in the bitulninous
field today, Indiana and ceptral
Pennsylvania being the only To-
calities unaffected. The situation
is entirely different in the hard
coal field. There stocks are short
and there is a good prospect for
continuous work this summer.
INDIANAPOLIS April 1.-Bnuminous
coal miners. numbering 10000. are idle
today on account of the failure of the
United Mine Workers of America and the
coal operators to agree upon a wage scale
to go into effect today.
District meetings are being held in an
effort to reach an agreement in the vari-
will be Of short duration.
Central Pennsylvania and Indiana mines
are in operation, as agreement has been
reached in the former district and this
state Miners and operators have agreed
70 continue work pending a settlement,
which is being negotiated by joint meet
hgs at Terre Haute.
All the miners Of western Pennsylvania,
Ohio. the transmississppi and outlying
districts have quit work.
Al the International headquarters of the
United Mine Workers Of America today
vice President Thomas L. Lewis of Ohio
luceeeded John Mitchell Of Spring Valley.
d., n president Of the organization, W.
D. Ryan Of Illinois succeeded Mr., Lewis
Iowa succeeded Representative w. B.
WILSON Of the central Pennsylvania dis
lrict as secreta<y-treasurer.
Situation in Ohio.
COLUMBUS. Ohio, April 1.-According
10 accurate reports received here today
from all over the Ohio mining district,
$500 workmen of all kinds in the mines
are idle today as the result of the de-
csion Of the mine officials in the central
competitive district to stop work. be-
sause. they say. the operators decline to
make any wage agreement.
ties follows: Columbiana county 1900;
Vinton county. 800; Hooking, 1900: Jack
son and vicinity. 1000; Coshocton. 1000:
Musknsum. 400; Perry. 5000; Starke,
i.6OO: Athens. 5000: Belmont. 5000: JEFF
ierson. 6.OOO: Meigs. 800: Gurnsey. 1000
Careful estimates from all the mining
centers In the state today show that
nearly 46J mines throughout the state are
idle.
Outlook in Missouri.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, April lit was
believed here this morning that the $4,000
coal miners in Missouri Kansas. Okla
homa and Arkansas. who are enjoying a
holiday today, would return to work to-
morrow pending a settlement o. the diff
culties with the officials of the Southwest
srn Interstate Coal Operators Association.
There has been no strike in the south
west yet said George Colviile. president
o. the Missouri Miners Association. 1T
Is up to the operators TO say whether there
will be strike. Nothing definite looking
TO the settlement of the present difficult
ties has beer done yet. but the situation
looks bright and I believe some plan for
a conference between the operators and
the miners will be reached today.
Anthracite Field
PHILADELPHIA. April 1.-Unlike the
situation In the soft coal fields where
thousands of men are idle because of wage
sisagreements. conditions in the anthra-
site field of eastern Pennsylvania so far as
employment is concerned are growing
better and the prospects for STEADY work
are brighter than they have been in six
months There Is a general suspension OF
mining throughout the hard coal region
today because the mine workers are OBJ
serving the anniversary of the eight hour
oay. but beginning tomorrow there will
Pc general resumption. 1t is expected
tnat the mines throughout these regions
VIII work full blast all summer The win
lerS STOCK or coal has been exhausted
and there Is practically no coal on hand
bt any OF the storage points. The anthra-
site regions are at present free from labor
troubles, the three years wage agreement
having one more year to run.
Illinois Mines Closed.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill, April 1.-All the
coal mines in Illinois are closed TODAY
while the miners are celebrating the an
niversary Of the eight-hour- law 60
Ing into effect. The mines will remain
closed until agreement between operators
and miners is reached. the operators hav-
Ing last night voted to suspend operations
until the scale is signed.
Shutdown in Iowa.
DES MONIES. Iowa, April livery
coal mine in Iowa is closed today Fiji
teen thousand men are idle. Miners to-
day are celebrating the tenth anniversary
OF the eight hour law.
10000 Idle Today.
PlTTSBCRG. April l.-About 10000
miners in the Pittsburg district are idle
today the result of the failure to
reach wage-scale agreement. However.
an effort will be made Thursday by the
miners and operators to amicably adjust
the slight differences. In any event. II is
believed the present suspension Will not
last longer than thirty days.
Today IS known as the eight-hour-law
day to miners all over the country and
Is considered holiday. For this reason
the suspension will not affect the miners
till tomorrow morning.
Setback for Gov. Guild.
BOSTON. April 1.-Ciov. Guild suffered a
setback during last night and this morn