In the summer of 1902 the anthracite coal miners in pennsylvania went on strike for over 160 days and sent the nation into a panic over a possible coal shortage, prompting president teddy roosevelt to intervene. Roosevelts conference ended in an impasse, he threatened to take over the mines and and run them with the army. Subscribers may view the full text of this article in its original form through timesmachine. That magnificent fight for unionism unions and mining. Sep 23, 2015 as union activity grew, the miners pushed directly for higher pay and better conditions while also seeking legislation to improve their lots. In 1902 the umw wanted an increased degree of control of the mining industry, increased federal regulation, and higher pay for its members.
The coal strike of 1902 was a strike by the united mine workers of america in the anthracite coal fields of eastern pennsylvania. When the operators refused, more than 100,000 miners and laborers walked off the job. Men and women lining up during the 1902 coal strike for their allotment of coal. The coal strike of 1919 in indiana county and its aftermath. The anthracite coal strike of 1902 involved over 147,000 of the ethnically diverse miners of eastern pennsylvania. The coal strike of 1902 began in may 1902 when the coal operators.
The boy explained to the commission how, after the strike, coal company owner john markle cancelled the daytoday leases of miners families. During the bitter 198990 pittston coal strike in virginia, west virginia and kentucky, the wives and daughters of striking coal miners, inspired by the stillsurviving tales of joness legendary work among an earlier generation of the regions coal miners, dubbed themselves the daughters of mother jones. May 12, 20 on may 12, 1902, coal miners in pennsylvanias anthracite fields went on strike. Jul 22, 20 soon a test case arose when miners in crawford county refused to work with an engineer who had helped attempts to open the mines during the national coal strike. Feb 24, 2019 the coal strike of 1902 began in may 1902 when the coal operators in the anthracite fields refused to engage in talks with john mitchell and the united mineworkers of america umwa for increased wages and recognition of their union. Interview with susan berfield, author of the new book the hour of fate. As ordered, the engineers and pumpmen necessary to keep water out of the mines appeared. Licensed to youtube by tunecore, cd baby on behalf of pete hawkes. In may it called for a strike by its miners and in june it gained the support of maintenance workers in the industry. The groundwork for the 1900 anthracite coal strike was laid by the unexpected. The rise and fall of coal miners unions jstor daily. Even veteran mirror journalist geoffrey goodman, whose book.
Its strike began in april 1919 when the potter coal and coke company failed to recognize the united mine workers. Coal strike on october 3, 1902 president theodore roosevelt met with miners and coal field operators in an attempt to settle the anthracite coal strike, then in its fifth month. On friday, october 3, 1902, president theodore roosevelt called a. That crisis came straight out of the anthracite coal fields of pennsylvania. The coal strike of 1902, also known as the anthracite coal strike, 1 2 was a strike by the united mine workers of america in the anthracite coalfields of eastern pennsylvania. Pennsylvania anthracite coal workers strike for better. On friday, october 3, 1902, president theodore roosevelt intervened, worried that if the strike continued for too long, the nation would face a coal shortage that could close down the factories and leave homes cold. On this day in 1902, president theodore roosevelt met with miners and coalfield operators in an attempt to settle the fivemonthold strike.
When the mine operators rejected miners demands, umw president john mitchell called the strike on 12 may 1902, and within several weeks the miners including both established miners. District union officials were ordered to appear before the new labor court and were arrested for contempt when they refused. The anthracite coal strike mayoctober 1902 began after mine operators refused to meet with representatives of the united mine workers of america. The coal strike of 1902 was a strike by the united mine workers of america in the anthracite coalfields of eastern pennsylvania. The radicalism issue became entwined with the strike in coral when public authorities, including a post office inspector, pinpointed coral as the site of radical agitation. The anthracite strike of 1902 was an effort by the united mine workers to get higher waves, shorter hours, and recognition of their union. Report anthracite coal strike commission 1902 abebooks. The anthracite coal strike in northeastern pennsylvania had been going on.
The controversial life of a congressional power broker 2015 by william c. The coal strike of 1902 also known as the anthracite coal strike was a strike by the united mine workers of america in the anthracite coalfields of eastern pennsylvania. In the momentand even more so in the next years, as he pushed a. In a west virginia mine in 1907, 366 miners lost their lives in a single. Mitchell did not push his candidacy, but another top official of the mine workers during the. The country relied on coal to power commerce and industry and anthracite or hard coal was essential for domestic heating. The 1926 general strike and miners lockout in the forest of dean. On october 3, 1902, president theodore roosevelt met with miners and coalfield.
The strike threatened to shut down the winter fuel supply to all major cities homes and apartments were heated with anthracite or hard coal because it had higher heat value and less smoke than soft or bituminous coal. The history of federal government intervention in labor matters up to this time showed a clear favoritism for management. The coal industry known for its boom and bust cycles was in a slump. First, protests and strikes by workers in some occupations succeed because the. During 1920 and 1921, western pennsylvanias coal mine operators campaigned vigorously to slash wages of the miners they employed. Read about the strike and the presidents intervention, and check your understanding with. The strike of 1900 was the prelude to a larger dramathe great anthracite coal strike of 1902. The coal strike of 1902 began in may of that year in eastern pennsylvania, one of the main coal producing regions in america. I hope to be able to weather the strike without going hungry. The history of us coal miners has received limited attention from scholars.
The coal miners strike of 1897 is an article from the quarterly journal of economics, volume 12. The anthracite coal strike of 1902 research paper the anthracite coal strike of 1902 lasted from may 12 until october 23 demonstrated both the growing power of labor in american industry and a greater willingness among elected officials to intervene in labor situations in order to reduce social turmoil. Anthracite coal strike of 1902 michael hannon 2010 anthracite coal anthracite coal is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal with the highest carbon count and the fewest impurities of any type of coal. The anthracite coal strike of 1902 ends with a 10% increase in pay for most miners. The womens garment industry and the ilgwu in pennsylvania 2002.
May 10, 2019 on monday, may 12, whistles blew at collieries across eastern pennsylvania, but no miners showed up for work. The coal strike of 1902 began in may 1902 when the coal operators in the anthracite fields refused to engage in talks with john mitchell and the united mineworkers of america umwa for increased wages and recognition of their union. Miners striked for higher wages, shorter workdays, and the recognition of their union. Despite the fact that only 9,000 mine workers in the coal region were umwa members, over 110,000 mine workers of a total of 145,000 joined the strike within the first week.
There were many strikes in the coal fields during the gilded age, but this one has special significance because the refusal of the industry to negotiate pushed the strike into the fall and placed urban americans heating supplies in grave danger. It grew from less than 10,000 members before the strike to become the nations largest trade union, with over 100,000 members. Ap us history chapters 28 and 29 flashcards quizlet. In dealing with the period immediately following world war i most authors emphasize the coal strikes of 1919 and 1922, the rise and consolidation. On september 17, 1900, mitchell called for a strike of the anthracite coal miners. On friday, october 3, 1902, president theodore roosevelt intervened, worried that if the strike continued for too long, the nation would face a coal shortage that could close down the factories and leave homes cold in the approaching winter. Workers in pennsylvanias anthracite coal industry had been on strike for five months, threatening to leave eastern cities in the cold without enough heating fuel for the winter. The name of paint creek collieries two mines at mucklow were the paint creek mine opened in 1902 and scranton mine opened in 1907. Kashatus anthracites demise and the postcoal economy of northeastern pennsylvania 2015. Richard boyer tells in his book labors untold story how the operators unleashed a reign of terror, hiring and arming a band of vigilanteswho joined the corporationowned coal and iron police in waylaying, ambushing and killing militant miners. Gave roosevelt an opportunity to define his view of the presidency. United mine workers demanded 20 percent wage increase, a reductive in daily working hours from ten to nine, and formal management recognition in their union.
We also know that wages are less, that the cost of living is higher. In the fifteen years i have worked as a miner i have earned the average rate of wages any of us coal heavers get. The other major type of coal used for fuel is bituminous coal, a relatively soft coal that contains a tarlike substance called bitumen. In the ten years after the failed strike of 1902, little had changed in the working conditions of southern west virginia miners.
The corsair agreement was announced on 14 october 1902, with the coal operators forced to accept umw head john mitchell as the miners representative on the anthracite coal strike commission. Urged the mine owners and striking workers to accept arbitration. Ultimately, for the miners, the agreement was a defeat in one major respect. Mine explosions were commonplace and attracted the most attention.
The knights gains, however, were soon wiped out by. Their goals were to gain operator recognition of the united mine workers umw, increased wages, and improved working conditions. The commission then held three and half months of hearings, in which john mitchell presented much of the evidence for the mine workers. Perspectives on the 1902 anthracite coal strike 2002 by kenneth c. Miners lived in dread of coal damp, or methane gas, which could be ignited by a spark from a shovel to erupt in fastmoving flames. Baer and the other operators were not about to be pushed around. Paperback the 19841985 miners strike in nottinghamshire. Restless miners demanded more pay and shorter hours, while the mine operators complained that profits were low, and that the union destroyed discipline. Because demand for coal declined after world war one the operators were forced to reduce production, resulting in slack, or in some cases, the complete shutdown of operations. June 1902 west virginia coal miners strike, both in sympathy for the miners in pennsylvania and with the stated. Coal strike of 1902 project gutenberg selfpublishing.
Doris kearns goodwins book leadership in turbulent times looks at. Morgan, who owned the bank that owned many of the railroads and. In his new introduction to the reissue of harlan miners speak, an onthescene report from a panel of writers about the coal strike in bell and harlan counties, john hennen skillfully explains the precipitating factors of the labor unrest. As the case ramped up, the coal miners went on strike, abandoning the. Ten intense events from the real war on coal americas. Today in historyoctober 3the library of congress features the anthracite coal strike. Workers in pennsylvanias anthracite coal industry had. Some of the remaining coal camp houses at gallagher. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures.
The united mine workers, formed in a merger of the two major coal miners unions in 1890, won a series of major strikes and became the largest labor union in the country in the years before world war i. Onehalf of the price paid for a ton of coal in new york or philadelphia goes into the profit pocket of the mine owner, either as a carrier or miner. Since the beginning of the trouble about 60 men have continued work in the westmoreland. Coal strike of 1902 encyclopedia article citizendium. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. The strike began in eastern pennsylvania, where almost all anthracite coal was mined at the time, on may 12, 1902, after the railroad companies which owned the. Dec 08, 2017 the pennsylvania coal mining strike of 1902.
Opposition to the strike was led by the conservative government of the prime minister, margaret thatcher, who wanted. Clarence darrow made the closing arguments on behalf of the union. Ten intense events from the real war on coal americas most. We all know that the price of coal has advanced in in the past twenty years. Apr 16, 2020 ending a bitter coal miners strike, colorado militiamen attack a tent colony of strikers, killing dozens of men, women and children.
Learn how teddy roosevelt saved the day in mediating an end to the anthracite coal miners strike of 1902. Miners were on strike asking for higher wages, shorter workdays and the recognition of their union. Militia slaughters strikers at ludlow, colorado history. It played a role in the history of mining, marking the first federal intervention in the business. By wielding his bully pulpit, roosevelt used his power to push forward negotiations.
The conventional story of the miners strike, which began 30 years ago, is now being challenged. The greatest strike ever pennsylvania center for the book. In late october 1902, president theodore roosevelt felt relieved after months of anxiety and uncertainty. The strike began in eastern pennsylvania, where almost all anthracite coal was mined at the time, on may 12, 1902, after the railroad companies which owned the mines refused to meet with representatives of the union. The anthracite coal strike commission of 1902 was taking testimony.
Most of the published scholarship has focused on the national scene to the neglect of district and local level developments. May 12, 1902, mitchell called out 147,000 workers from the anthracite mines of pennsylvania. Chief john ross anthracite coal strike land of the south slavs. A strike by millions of coal miners in india is called off after the government agreed to reexamine moves to open up the industry. Full text is unavailable for this digitized archive article. Coal strike of 1897 the united mine workers of america umwa had won a sweeping victory in the 1897 strike by the soft coal bituminous coal miners in the midwest, winning significant wage increases and growing from 10,000 to 115,000 members. The strike threatened to shut down the winter fuel supply to major american cities. But 147,000 men and boys didnt heed the summons to the mines. Andrew roy, a history of the coal miners of the united states, from the development of the mines to the close of the anthracite strike of 1902, 3d ed. Coal miners, frustrated with working conditions in the mines, walked. However, when antiunion employers took over the association in late 1902 in a.
Once the strike ended, the anthracite coal strike commission visited the coal region for a week of site visits. It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board ncb, a government agency. Public sentiment was not with the miners, who were decried as a wild beast and needs to be shot down. On june 2 1902 the maintenance workers, consisting of firemen, pumpmen and engineers, joined the miner s strike. Anthraciteor hard coal was solid and rich in carbon, ideal for industrial and domestic use. Purposes and ideals philadelphia, american book and bible house, 1903, p. Ppt theodore roosevelt powerpoint presentation free to. Morgans companies, northern securities, was sued by theodore.
The union wanted recognition and a degree of control over the industry. The strike among the westmoreland county coal miners at irwin still continues. The book by gibb and knowlton may be too corporatefriendly for academic. The local chapters of the umwa voted to formally support the strike in hazleton on wednesday, may 14 and the coal strike of 1902 was officially on. Chronology of the anthracite coal strike of 1902 ehistory. Watch the mine wars american experience official site pbs. The great coal strike of 1902 had a great impact on the society of the united states for a number of reasons.
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