The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-28
Mine FOREMAN
BLAST.SFRIGR'S
IH.OLDIN REGION
Strikes Telling Blow for Un-
ionism In ConneIIsMIIe
Coke District.

The fact that Bill Collins, assist.
ant mine foreman Of a Prick mine
near Masontown, Pa, In Fayette
County, was born in cellar during
the great strike in these non.union
coke fields twenty-etght years ago
IS one Of the most important rea-
SONS why thousands Of non.unton
coal and coke workers in the coke
belt Just over the Mason.Dixon line
have now quit work and are joining
the nationwide strike.
further reason Is that Bills
brother, Pat, was present in the
collar when Bill was born. Pat, up
until the strike was called. April 1,
was Assistant foreman at LecHone
mine, another Frick property.
n this heretofore impregnable
STRONGHOLD OF non.union coal and
coke operators becomes organized
~ this strike, the Frick interests,
which control the district, can
chalk up their defeat largely TO Bill
and Pat Collins.
Pat Starts Campaign.
IL was Pat who struck the first
blow for unionism. The non.union
men az Leckrone mine had listened
tosditferent company bosses exhort
them To beware OF "union organi'
zers and agitators" when Assistant
Foreman Pat took the floor.
Pat didn't make the speech that
was expected. OF a FrIck official.
Tor twenty.eight years." he said
70 his men, Eve waited for this
chance to make this speech TO a
crowd OF Frick workmen.
rwenty;eight years ago, my
father worked in the non.union
mines In this field. We lived in a
company house Just as most OF
YOU do today.
Dad Joined that big strike. He
dtt}fnore! He had the nerve to tell
his fellow miners that they too
should strike.
zone night hired deputies
swooped down on our house, smash.
cd np the furniture and then threw
II out the highway. They drove
dad away, and he fed for his life.
There we we're, mother and her
seven kids, the oldest only 12, and
the youngest not yet old enough
to walk-no home, out in the open.
ITO hide from the deputies,
mother led her seven kids into a
dark. dirty cellar of another miners
shack,
Bill Born In Cellar.
The next morning there were
eight Of US kids instead Of seven.
RillSwas born during the night.
For eight months we struggled
and starved, while the deputies
bounded dad. They wouldn't let him
come back to us.
sFinally he came back ragged
and barefooted and broken in
health
~ Bill and have heard mother
aud dad tell US once about how they
were treated in the strike OF 81
we've heard 1t a hundred times.
Mother is dead now. How could
i be true 20 her memory II | didn't
tell You men that your best inter.
ests now lay in joining with the
half million union coal miners IN
their strike? l not only want you
% strike. but I'll strike with you!
Come or, boys, let's all quilt"
IL was "a cheering crowd OF non
union miners that Assistant Ford
man Pat Collins led out Of the
1eckrone mine that day. And
THEY'RE still out.
The next day Assistant Foreman
Bill Collins told the same story to
his men at Footdale mine and they
TOO walked out.
Tliemen at Lecltrone, in organic
mr. asunion, elected Pat president
The news that Pat and Bill Col.
Inns Frick bosses" had led their
uten on strike spread like wildfirt
throughout the Connellsville dis
trtet.
Address Meetings.
United Mine Worker organizers
were quick to see tho value Of these
two men to the union cause.
The result was series Of mass
meetings throughout the district
with Pat and Bill always present as
principal speakers. At one meeting
at Masontown the crowd they ad.
dressed was estimated at 10000.
The strike is spreading fast
throughout the district" says Inter
national Organizer William Fecney.
Out chances for capturing the
whole district for unionism are
brighter than ever before in the
history Of the industry in these
IN normal times the Frick com.
pauy employs $4,000 Of the $4,000
miners and coke workers In the
flpnsinion ConnellsvIlle district.
we will never operate with
'nion labor" said one high Frick
official.
n Isl conservatively estimated
that about 1900 non.union men
are SIN at work In the district.
Giovanni AIessio Nabbed
g.,fIdl ~ z