September 15, 1900

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: On September 15, 1900 Mocanaqua’s West End Colliery was one of a number of coal operations up and down the Wyoming Valley where its workers were getting ready for a strike. The New York Times reported ‘the West End Coal Company men at Mocanaqua reported nearly all employees at work’ and that ‘many of the foreign element were noticed about the mines’ (meaning a large number of its workers were not native born). The Times was anticipating ‘what may prove the greatest strike in the history of the labor world’ and that it would be one of the ‘darkest days of anthracite.’

Workers were fighting for higher wages and better working conditions.

The NYT article also gives insight into the management of the West End Coal Company in Mocanaqua. The writer (who wasn’t named in the archived report) said the mine operators were waiting for developments and that ‘many are of the opinion that the novelty of the thing will wear off in a few days’ meaning there would be a rush for work once again. It also said the mine employed about 5,000 people – mostly of Hungarian and Slavic descent.

John Conyngham, West End’s president, was quoted as saying that only five percent of the miners working in Mocanaqua belonged to the union and that even after the mine shut down for the day notices were posted that the union would strike.