The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-03-29
A Record of
Since the
What the Causes Were and
How the Struggles
Turned Out.

FNHE first organized strike in the
anthracite coal fields of Penn
sylvania occurred just sixty
three years ago. Before that
ime there had been unnumbered diff
erences between miners and opera.
ors, resulting in local suspensions OF
york, but of these no record has been
ept, and the Schuylkill county strike
e of long drawn out warfare which
as kept the hard coal regions in a
late of unrest ever since then, bar
Ing the last ten years.
There were occasional years be-
Teen 1S49 and 1902 when quiet pre-
allied for the most part throughout
be region. but as n general thing dis
ltes. threats and strikes occurred In
be locality or another.
How many hundreds or thousands
such strikes took place will never
known, for until comparatively re.
mt times no adequate data have been
deserved. The bureau of mines now
pplies information of strikes since
e time when 1t was organized. The
al companies have data, scattered
rough their voluminous records, and
e weekly and daily newspapers pub
he'd in the anthracite fields have
eserved in their flies such brief ref
ences TO labor troubles as they have
en- IN the habit of printing. But it
ps left for a clergyman, the Rev,
ter Roberts of Mahanoy City, in the
= Ter anthracite field, to make ex-
ustive research and to collate as
ly as possible a record of strikes,
ich was published years ago in an
borate treatise entitled THE An
facite Coal Industry"
The First Strike.
is interesting to note in the strike
1S49 the first recorded conflict be-
zen capital and organized labor In
anthracite industry; that the issues
olved were about the same as in
ry great strike since then
1S4S labor organization of an
hcite miners was formed in Schuyl-
county by John Bates, after whom
Eas named. When the early spring
$40 arrived Bates found it strong
ugh to put up certain demands to
operators of mines-higher wages
rter hours and recognition OF the
bn. The operators declined TO
bit the demands, and in May a gen
strike was declared throughout
Schuylkill, or lower field.
be Bates union held a meeting on
., 1S49, in the village of Miners
and another meeting on May in
adjoining township, at which reso-
ns were adopted stating that I'VE
learned from Divine Providence
the laborer is worthy of his hire"
ng significantly that If any man
prevented from working because
is membership in the union they
id all strike.
e same tactics were employed in
strike of 1S49 that have been en-
I'd ever since. The men in the
5 union armed themselves with
els, formed themselves into bands
marched through the Black valley
by methods of threat, intimidation
assault when deemed necessary
|elled men to quit work and join
hnks.
er several weeks Of struggle the
tors and the workmen got togeth-
nd effected a compromise, the
was declared off, and the men
back to work.
'irst Strong Miners Union.
vas in the latter part Of 1867 that
leaders in all the three anthracite
the upper, middle and lower,
ed the necessity Of having the
nen knitted together in one
union, and after much careful
sion in July. 1868, the first com
bsive anthracite coal union was
d-the WOrkingmen's Benevolent
ation. whose first president and
|lling spirit was John Siney.
pre- many months the Nv. b. A.,
miners still call 1t. was strongly
ched in the lower and middle
So large q proportion OF mine
rs became members that 1t vir-
controlled the situation there.
the middle and lower fields
led up hard and fast, however,
mes in the upper field. the Wilkes
region, continued at work day
ght and supplied the public de
for anthracite. So Siney's men
on . march across country to
barre to persuade the miners
10 go on strike. In this they
10 far successful that the opera
the upper neld agreed TO an
pour working day, although the
lied TO get an advance In wages.
Ftriks lasted nearly an summer
over OF Schuylkill region, when
ement was reached there where
men gained a 10 per cent sd.
but lost their demand for an
Dur day.
and his associate leaders Of the
/. BY constant missionary work
ed in raising the membership
was said 20 include $4,000 out
tai of $1,000 men who worked