Tag: Peter Powers

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for June 1911, Part II: Found Pleading Cause of Striking Miners of Westmoreland County

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Greensburg PA Cmas 1910, Steel 2, p83—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 20, 1911
Mother Jones News Round-Up for June 1911, Part II
Found Pleading Cause of Striking Miners of Westmoreland County 

From The Indianapolis Star of June 28, 1911:

WOMAN PLEADS FOR MINERS
———-

“MOTHER JONES TELLS TALE
———-
Describes Hardships of Pennsylvania Strikers,
but Urges Board to Encourage Men
to Continue Fight.

Mother Jones crpd ed, WDC Tx p5, June 18, 1910

Following an address by “Mother” Jones, known to all miners of the country, members of the executive board of the United Mine Workers of America yesterday adopted resolutions relative to the strike in the Irwin district in western Pennsylvania, where about 6 000 mine workers have been out for a year and a half.

Mrs. Jones, who is 79 years old, has spent most of her time in the strike region during the past year and is thoroughly familiar with conditions there. She told the members of the executive board of the hardships which the miners and their families have endured during the strike and urged the board to adopt resolutions commending the strikers and advising them to continue the fight.

Her address had the desired effect upon the members of the board, and a committee was appointed to draw up resolutions.

PLEDGES CONTINUED SPPORT.

The resolutions provide that the executive board indorse the strikers and urge them to continue their fight, and the board pledges its continued support to the miners. It is also provided that a general meeting be held in the region, at which a vote is to be taken to ascertain if a majority of the miners favor the continuance of the strike

The miners organization is spending about $90,000 a month to support the families of the strikers. It is said that the operators refuse to recognize the organization in the district and will not consider any compromise.

Francis Feehan president of the Pittsburg district and a number of organizers also appeared before the board yesterday to present their views on the strike.

“Mother” Jones expects to return to the Irwin district soon to continue her work among the families of the strikers.

—————

[Photograph added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for June 1911, Part II: Found Pleading Cause of Striking Miners of Westmoreland County” →

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Writes to Peter Powers; Tells of Women and Children Thrown into Rat-Infested Jail

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, PA Strike Greensburg Women Sing Jail, Ab p146, 1925—————–

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday June 29, 1911
Mother Jones Tells of Women and Children in Rat-Infested Jail 

From the Evansville Press of June 29, 1911:

PETER POWERS TALK
-WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIGHT JAIL RATS.

PA Miners Strike Westmoreland Sadie Baker in Jail crpd by G Gardner, Ark Dem p6, June 20, 1911

Gilson Gardner’s story of women and girls thrown into a vermin-infested rat-hole called a jail because they “disturbed the peace” by beating a tin can and singing at a strikebreaker in Westmoreland-co, Pa., is not overdrawn.

I have just received a letter from Mother Jones, “the angel of the miners,” who has gone into Westmoreland-co, Pa., to lead in the unequal fight of the impoverished men, women and children against the gigantic corporations.

[Writes Mother:]

There were three generations in jail because they could not pay $10 apiece in fines to a corporation ‘squire, who might as well have demanded $10,000 as $10. There was a mother, her three months’ old baby and a grandmother besides two little children who could not walk, huddled together in a foul prison fighting off rats. Can such conditions prevail in Russia? I doubt it. I know they would not be tolerated in monarchial England or Germany. The men of this nation who permit such outrages are cowards.

The so-called judge who sentenced the women and children to jail without mercy is an ardent church-goer. Last Sunday 2,000 miners and their wives and children marched-it’s an old custom and second nature of miners to hold processions. The church people sent the Cossacs to tell us not to play the band or do any singing, as they were praying. Perhaps if we had disobeyed we would nave been in contempt or court.

PA Miners Strike Westmoreland Women n Babies in Jail by G Gardner, Ark Dem p6, June 20, 1911
Mrs. Dot Smith, Aged 19, and Her Three-
Months-Old Baby, Sentenced to 20 Days
in County Jail For Beating a Tomato Can
and Making Sarcastic Remarks While
a Scab Was Passing Her House.

[Photographs and emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Writes to Peter Powers; Tells of Women and Children Thrown into Rat-Infested Jail” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for November 1910, Part I: Holds Roosevelt Responsible for Ruin of Mine Workers in Anthracite

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Oligarchy, Sops, Rise Up, Giants, Clv Oct 12, Lbr Arg p1, Oct 13, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday December 28, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for November 1910, Part I:
–Blames Roosevelt for State of Miners Union in Anthracite Field

From the Muskegon News Chronicle of November 4, 1910:

Workers of the World Peter Power, Muskegon MI Chc p5, Nov 4, 1910

[Mother Jones] Holds T. R. Responsible
for Ruin of Coal Union.

Mother Jones, Tacoma Tx p7, Oct 24, 1910

That man Roosevelt is responsible for the wrecking of the once powerful union of anthracite miners; he turned John Mitchell’s head by flattery and did what Geo. F. Baer and the combined hard coal barons couldn’t do. I repeat, the overrated Roosevelt wrecked the anthracite miners union.

These startling words were uttered by Mother Jones in conversation with the writer a few days ago, while en route to the Irwin-Greensburg coal field to assist the 20,000 striking miners who have been locked out since last spring [Westmoreland County Coal Strike].

Mother Jones is unquestionably the most influential figure among the American miners today, and has been for a decade. If she were a man she would be the life president of the United Mine Workers of North America. It was Mother Jones more than any other human being who rallied the hard coal miners in their helpless slavery 10 years ago and cheered them on a fight their way out.

[Said Mother:]

Now, after ten years of open shoppery, the boys are back in the old rut, back on the treadmill, not daring to call their souls their own, thanks to the scheming and hypocrisy of Roosevelt. And then that bluffer had the audacity to go down into the Scranton district recently, accompanied by photographers and press agents, and gloat and grin at the poor miners and announce ostentatiously, “I am ex-President Roosevelt.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for November 1910, Part I: Holds Roosevelt Responsible for Ruin of Mine Workers in Anthracite” →