Early in 1902, the United Mine Workers called for a strike in the anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania. They demanded safer working conditions and higher wages. The mine owners refused to meet with the union. George F. Baer, leader of the operators, insisted that so-called “labor agitators” did not have the best interests of the miners at heart. He claimed the owners would protect the workers' rights.
The miners went on strike on May 12, 1902. At the time, railroads and factories ran on coal and homes were heated by it. A coal strike promised hard times for Americans. By August, newspapers in North Dakota sounded the alarm over a looming coal famine. The Devils Lake Inter-Ocean warned that a coal shortage was imminent.
There were real concerns among North Dakotans, who were worried about keeping warm through the winter. Coal would be expensive, if it was available at all. And North Dakota winters were cold. People were anxious about the coming season.
By October, that anxiety had reached the White House. Although his attorney general advised him he had no legal authority to intervene, President Teddy Roosevelt feared “untold misery... with the certainty of riots which might develop into social war.” He called an unprecedented meeting, summoning both sides to Washington to resolve the issue. He was determined, in his words, “to bring to an end a situation which has become literally intolerable.”
On this date in 1902, it seemed Roosevelt’s plan was doomed. The owners refused to negotiate without concessions. The strikers didn’t trust the owners and refused to concede before talks even began.
In a desperate move, Roosevelt appointed Commissioner of Labor Carroll Wright to lead the newly formed Anthracite Coal Strike Commission.
Wright met with both the union and the owners and ran the meeting with a strong hand. To everyone’s surprise, both sides agreed to submit their disputes to the commission for arbitration.
The strike ended on October 23, with both parties agreeing to honor the commission’s decision.
The country heaved a sigh of relief, knowing there would be heat for the winter.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Devils Lake Inter-Ocean. “Coal Famine Imminent.” Devils Lake ND. 8/29/02. Page 1.
- Courier Democrat. “Suits the Miners.” Langdon ND. 10/23/1902. Page 3.
- Jamestown Weekly Alert. “Meet President.” Jamestown ND. 10/9/1902. Page 8.
- US Department of Labor. “The Coal Strike of 1902.” https://www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/history/coalstrikeAccessed 9/18/2025.
- US History. “Anthracite Coal Strike: Union Action in 1902.” https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h927.htmlAccessed 9/18/2025.
