The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-04-08
THOUSANDS GO OUT PENDING
SETTLEMENT OF WAGE
SCALE.
Hope Expressed for an Early Adjust
ment of Questions at lssue-Fuel
Famine Not Likely Because Of LARGE
Quantities Of Coal Stored Up for
Emergency.

|
the bituminous coal fields of Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, Indiana. Illinois. Iowa,
Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Ar
kansas are out, pending settlement of
new wage scale.
officers of the United Mine Workers
of North America declared the walk
out 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.
Demands of Miners.
The miners demand an increase of
pay, in some instances 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 gen.
eral coal famine, large supplies of
fuel having been stored in anticipa-
ton of the walkout.
While the miners predict the sus-
pension will be cut short by prompt
signing of wage scales, some of the
operators maintain the mines may be
kept closed for a month or longer.
Indiana Partly Settled.
The first settlement came In an an
nouncement from Brazil, lad, the GEN.
ter of the Indiana block coal field,
where the demand for scent increase
was granted. The conditions in the
various states reported to the nation
al union headquarters follow:
Illinois-Nine hundred mines closed
and $4,000 miners out; joint confer
ence on wages called for Monday in
Chicago; operators say men demand
increase of 10 cents ton; possibility
of a fourth-months shutdown; two
months supply of coal on hand; no
| immediate coal famine in Chicago.
Conference Arranged.
Indiana-Eighteen thousand miners
out; conference arranged for Wednes.
| day at Terre Haute.
Pennsylvania-Fort thousand men
ordered out; temporary scale expected
by Saturday; settlement Of the pow
der question to be held in abeyance. 4
| 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-five thou
sand miners out; early settlement ex
pected; miners assert they have $400,
900 to carry on the fight.
| West Is Joining.
| Ohio-Miners ordered to quit work
at midnight; state leader declares II
is brief suspension; at Lorain steel
plant shut down and threw out 1000
workers because of coal shortage.
| Colorado-It is considered certain
that the 5000 miners Of the Northern
Colorado coal fields will go on strike
Immediately.
Kentucky-Union coal miners OF
Western Kentucky quit work Thurs
day night. Both sides have appointed
wage committees to confer. The min
ers ask a 6-cent increase per ton.
| Estimate Of Men Out.
President Lewis, before leaving to
visit the centers of the different min.
ing fields, made the following estimate
of the number of miners affected by
the suspension of work:
| Western and Central Pennsylvania.
100, 900; Ohio, $4,000; Indiana, $4,000;
West Virginia. 10000; Illinois, $4,000;
Iowa, $4,000; Michigan, 5000; Kan.
sas, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma,
$4,000; Colorado, 5000; Western Ken
lucky, 5000. Total, 100000.
Reviewing the situation, President
Lewis said:
when the national executive board
adjourned Thursday night We all felt
the prospect was very satisfactory for
the miners.
'Tn Eastern Ohio, where we expect.
ed strong opposition, it is reported
three of the largest companies are
ready to sign the contract"
RECLAMATION BOND
ISSUE APPEARS DEAD.