Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1900 — MORE QUIT THE MINES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MORE QUIT THE MINES

STRIKERS ARE ENCOURAGED BY FIRST WEEK OF FIGHT. Detailed Reports Indicate a Big Gain for United Mine Workers—Operators Are Resolute in the Determination Not to Yield. The beginning of tile second week of the strike showed a slight gain for the strikers. Official reports to the United Mine-workers indicate that in the whole anthracite field more than IX) per cent of the men are on strike. There is now a total of 130,000 of 142,000 men out. Almost all of those, who have come out have joined the union and promised that they will, not return to work until the operators have made a settlement in a conference with the representatives of the union. This is a new” and important condition of the strike. When the first meeting, at which the demands of the miners were formuluted, was heldfin Hazleton less than 10 per cent of the men in the anthracite region were members of the union. When President Mitchell spoke in Jeddo not more than 50 per cent of the men were memjjers of the union, and when he was leaving many of the women followed and jeered him. Now all but one colliery in the Jeddo district is closed down. The greatest gains made by the strikers are in tin# section patrolled by the State troops, where the union had hitherto showed the greatest weakness. Practically every mine in' the neighborhood of Shenandoah and Malinnoy City Was In operation before the riots Friday. All are now closed, and the prospect .of get-

ting men to work there seems small. The confidence of the strikers is growing as their strength increases. Mine Owners Resolute. Men long familiar with the anthracite region say that never before have they seen the mine owners so resolute In their determination not to yield an inch as.they now are. Rightly or wrongly, they contend , that they are the victims of a conspiracy to put the anthracite region into the control of labor leaders who are foreign to the region and even to the State. In addition to this the mine owners say that conditions 'are so different in different portions of the anthracite region that to come to any general agreement on the lines proposed by the mine workers’ union would be an impossibility. For these reasons the operators seem as adamant in their determination to have no dealing with Mr. Mitchell and his organization. So far as they are concerned, they say that if the leaders succeed the strike general, it will be a record-breaker for length unless the miners themselves give in. In their review of the strike situation in the anthracite region the operators say: “The situation in the Wyoming

and Lackawanna valleys is unchanged. In the Schuylkill region, as soon as the excitement incideut to the arrival of the troops dies out, a general resumption of operations is expected.” Ktntetncnt of the Strikers. The United Mine Workers of the Wilkesbarre district issued the following statement: “The eighth day of the strike shows the men in the Wyoming region to be more united than ever. All the mines In the district are idle, and three washeries which were in operation the greater part of lust week are not now in operation. Our men are quiet and orderly and gaining accessions to their ranks every day. A new society of United Workers was organized nt Pittston. The men in that section are thoroughly organized now. The minors of Ashley ore also well organized. On the whole the situation is very encouraging.” Sixteen thousnud more mine operatives are idle in what Is known ns the Mnhnnoy valley, which extends fourteen miles along Broad mountain. The action of the men Is a surprise to the military and the miue owners. It was entirely unlocked for, and has given renewed courage to the strike lenders. They declare that the mine workers around Shenandoah have gone out on a *ympathy strike. The authorities have received warning Of Impending trouble around Hazleton and desire to move some of the troops h that, direction.

JOHN MITCHELL, President United Mine Workers of America.

A MINER’S CABIN.