The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-04-01

nunureu tnOuSHnu organized miners o.
the bituminous coal fields OF Pennsyl-
vania. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,
Missouri, Kansas. oklahoma and Ar
kansas quit work last midnight pend
ing Of Il new wage scale. Officers of
the United Mine Workers OF North
America declared the walkout was not
a strike. but merely a suspension of
work because no wage scale had been
made TO replace the old scale, which
expired with March. The miners de-
mand an increase of pay. In some In
stances of cents a ton and In other
Instances more. with certain changes
In working conditions.
Confidence was expressed by the op-
orators that there would be no general
coal famine. large supplies OF fuel
having been stored in anticipation OF
the walkout. While the miners pre-
diet the suspension will be made short
by prompt signing of wage scales.
some OF the operators maintain the
mines may be kept closed for month
or longer. The first settlement came
In an announcement from Brazil, Ind.
the center of the Indiana block coal
field, where the demand for a 5-cent
Increase 'wg granted.
The condltNns In the various states
reported to the national union head
quarters follow:
Thousands Opt.
lllinois-Nine hundred mines closed
and $4,000 miners out: joint confer
cnce on wages called for Monday In
/chcago: operators say men demand
increase OF 10, cents a ton: possibility
u, n -fn,r .nasfthr' shutdown: two
months supply OF coal on hand; no
Immediate coal famine In Chicago.
Indiana-Eighteen thousand miners
out; conference arranged for Wednes-
day at Terre Haute.
Pcnnsylvania-Forty thousand men
ordered out; temporary scale expected
by Saturday; settlement of the pow
der question to be held In allegiance.
Iowa-Every mine in. Iowa ordered
closed pending settlement of the wage
scale.
Missouri. Kansas. Oklahoma and
Arkansas-comprising the southwest
ern interstate fields: Thirty-fve thou
sand miners out; early settlement ex-
pected miners assert they have $780,
900 to carry on the fight.
Ohio-All miners ordered to quit
work; state leader declares II is "A brief
suspensions; at Lorain. steel plant
shut down and threw out 1000 work
men because Of coal shortage.
President Lewis, before leaving To
visit the centers of the different min
ing fields. made the following esli-
mate of the number of miners affected
by the suspension of work:
Western and central Pennsylvania,
100, ,00O; Ohio. $1,000: Indiana, $4,000;
West Virginia, 10000; Illinois 10000,
Iowa, $4,000; Michigan, 1000. Kansas.
Arkansas. Texas and Oklahoma. 25.-
900: Colorado. 1000: western Ken
lucky. 5000. Total. 100000.
Revisws Situation.
Reviewing the situation President
Lewis said.
when the national executive board
pect was very satisfactory for the
miners. In many districts II Is now
only a question of the miners and
operators sitting down together and
talking over the situation. In eastern
Ohio, where we expected strong oppo-
sltion. 1t Is reported three of the
largest companies are ready to sign
the contract we formulated at our
recent meeting In Cincinnati.
I'm Indiana and the Hooking dis
trict In Ohio we will reach a settle
ment next week. There probably will
he more difficulty In western Penn
sylvania and Illinois, where the pow
der and shot-frers' wage question Is
involved"