Year: 1872

PnILrrsBuRG. Pa, Nov ~, 1873.


The entire mining region throughout fennssi
vania is just now greatly agitated by reason of
universal strike on the part OF the miners. who
demand an increase oil ten cents per ton over
present rates. The miners are now receiving
seventy cents per ton, except at the Derby Coal
Company, where they have been given seventy ave.
This strike was not unexpected. on the contrary,
the miners notified the operators about fortnight
since that unless their demand for an Increase of
ten cents per ton was acceded 10 they would quit
work on the evening OF the 1ith instant. And they
kept their word. on the 18TH


THE MEN REFUSED TO WORK


at the former rates. and as the operators agreed
among themselves not TO yield 10 the strikers.
every one OF the sixteen mines on this mountain
stopped operations, except the Derby. The latter
having, IL is said, some large contracts on hand
preferred to pay the extra ten cents rather than
stop work ana the Derby mine IN therefore being
operated usual How long the strike VIII last II
Is difficult to say. Some are OF opinion that two
weeks out OF employment will bring the men to
terms. Others think the strike win be prolonged
month, but be the result what IL will, the effect
will be injurious and pernicious In Its consc-
quences. Al this season OF the year all the mines
are usually under contract for all the coal
po matter r ao sSors PERIOD
but be exceedingly detrimental to their interests.
Even II the advance in the price OF coal Shall be as
large they anticipate, by reason of scarcity OF
the article, yet the time lost and the interest OF
the money on the large capital invested will hardly
counterbalance cessation Of operations for Tort
night or more. .


THE MINERS ARE THE HEAVIEST LOSERS


by the strike. The price they are now being paid
OF seventy cents per ton, is the largest since the
war. 1t was only last Spring that they were
advanced from sixty to seventy cents per ton, and
It is as certain and positive as anything can be
a
present strike at all hazards. They claim
that the demand is unreasonable and
a hundred dollars monthly; that they are already
the best paid aboring element In the country, and
that even II they desired to give the extra ten
cents, the margin on coal is so small at present
market rates that they could not actually afford TO
comply with the wishes OF the strikers without
losing money The minors Of the Mountain. as
the region of btumnouscoa is called say that they
have received orders to strike from the headquar-
ters OF their Union at Philadelphia, and that they
have no alternative but to obey have also asccr-
tanned this evening that in the anthracite. region
the miners have struck, and similar movement
land. ohio and Illinois There can be no doubt
of the authenticity Of this report, as my
informants are trustworthy and reliable Az
Tyrone where are located the scales for the Penn
sylvania Railroad, the receipts for Saturday only
amounted to LOCO instead 5000 tons, which is the
markets. The weighmastcr at Tyrone tells me
that on Monday he only expects 800 tons, which
will be produced by the Derby. From Pittsburg
strike is reported at the mines in the vicinity OF
Pittsburg, although one will certainly occur
there early next week, unless 1t took
place last night. or course. as this is
purely mining and manufacturing region, the ex-
citement in consequence of the general strike is
intense. Miners are idle, and, having been re-
Gently paid off, are spending their time in porter
houses and drinking more than Is good for them.
1t is impossible to secure men outside the Miners
Union to work the deserted mines,


AS sANGUINARY BATTLE WOULD DE FOUGHT


between the union and the non-union men, and
there is not force large enough to maintain the
peace or protect the non-uniOn men against vo-
lence from the strikers. Hence there is an era o
idleness in this usually busy, active mining and
manufacturing locality. The effect Of this strike
on all branches OF trade and commerce will soon be
made manifest