The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-06-12
Hooking Valley Coal strike.

Hooking Valley Coal Strike.
i CoIu1Dus, June 1l,-A special to The
Ohio State Journal tonight from Nelson.
vile, prepared by very reliable repor.
Ter, Is as follows:
About $40 colored men, most Of them
from Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee,
arrived here about 4 o'clock this morning,
having collected In Columbus by different
routes last night They were accompa.
nied by twenty.one special policemen
from Columbus. They passed the Mol.
sonville depot and proceeded directly to
Longstreth's mines, half mile below but
still within the village corporation,
where they found everything quiet. They
were Immediately placed on military duty
with arms in their hands and picket lines
encircled the territory Tor halt mile In
diameter surrounding the entrance to the
Longstreth mines. During the day the
American fl4g has fl0ated from tho Lang.
streth works. Where the new men are
collected tho camp lines have been mark
ed down, and colUred men have been
patroling the outskirts all day with mus.
kets and fixed bsyOnets, refusing admit.
lance within the lines 10 all not endorsed
by the operators or police. About twenty.
seven are on picket duty around the
hills in the rear Of the fords anda reserve
picket force Is to be added tonight.
Three OF the colored men missed The
special train last night but came down on
the passenger train to-day accompanied
by james r. Spencer, who Is at tho head
ol the Columbus police force. When the
train stopped at the depot several union
miners got aboard to talk to the negroes.
The train was stopped sgain below town,
and when Spencer and the negroes got
off q shot was fired at them from car
step. The Sheriff happened 10 be near
the man at the time and arrested him
at once. This Is the only violent demon.
stration as yet During the whole day an
average Of about one hundred men, wo.
men and children In sympathy with the
strikers have been collected just outside
the lines at the LopVstreth works, but
they arc not allowed to cross into the
camp. Any one presenting himself Ior
admission Ia promptly met by bayonet.
In town everything has been quiet to-
day and there have been no menaces at
the works except occasional derisive re-
marks directed at the new importations.
The negroes are a rugged set Of men and
many Of them have seen military SER
vice. A few oil them are fresh from the
Brooks-Baxter war in Arkansas. They
express great determination, and those
not on guard duty have been Industrious
ly drilling. Among the operators within
the lines are I. Longstreth, B. w. Brooks,
W. 3 McCluny, NJ, T. Ames and a repro:
sentative Of the New York & Ohio Coal
Company. They express the greatest
confidence that the negroes will stand by
them either for defense or work, and the
behavior OF the colored troops seems to
justify this confidence. The force fairly
Oristles with baYonets. They have $50
muskets, with bayonets, United States
belts and cartridge boxes complete; also
100 navy revolvers, besides many smaller
firearms.
At the mass meeting of Union miners
yesterday, the,demand Of L. D. Poston for
an increase oi lone hundred inches 10 the
hushcl was considered. The miners re-
fused, but agreed to reCede from their
basis Of S. 90 per hundred to 90 81,
which MIR. Poston accepted. During
the strike Poston has not opposed the
miners demands, but he works but iew
hands and is not In the general conferences
Of the operators. The miners say they arc
willing TO treat with the other operators
the same as with Poston, and that they
have been so all through the strike, but
the operators this afternoon emphasize
their declaration that they will have
nothing 10 do with the union miners OF
any price. Sixty strikers have just arIiv.
ed In procession from Carbondale and 400
are expected from Straitsvile to night.
A second dispatch to the State Journal
says that John Putnam, Governor Aliens
Secretary, arrived here this afternoon,
clothed with full authority 10 act He sd.
dressed q meeting Of six hundred striking
miners this afternoon, laying down the
law to them, counseling them 10 desisG
from encroaching on private territory,
and assuring them that decisive means
would be taken TO suppress disorder. The
miners were very distinct and decided In
disclaiming any intention Of violence, and
unanimously expressed themselves In this
manner when q vote was taken. They also
declared they would endesvor to control
the miners from other places. Putnam
also informed the strikers that the Sill
Guards Of ChillicOthe and Lyuo Grsys of
| Cincinnati had been notified 10 hold
themselves in readiness to move at a mo-
ments notice. Putnam visited Fort Long
streth this evening, and was introduced
within the lines.
,About7 o'clock this evening Thomas
Piert, President ol the Nelsonville Union,
came down the line near the Longstreth
works, accompanied by twenty or thirty
other persons, and addressed as many Of
the colored men as were within hearing,
urging them TO lay down their arms and
J JOIN the ranks Of the Union.
The episode created some commotion
and one colored boy deserted. At. the
same time there was sort Of q demon.
sttation at another point in the line, the
women taking part, but It was not serious.
At 8 o'clock not more than two dozen ol
those sympathizing with the strikers were
visible from the Longstreth works, but
about 100 were collected half way be-
tween there and the village. The sheriff
Of Athens county is In the lines, and the
police force are deputlzed by him, but he
declines TO call on the Executive until
there Is actual violence. The operators
are not in accord with him, saying there
is danger oil bloodshed before the troops
can arrive. >, -vnr,-
s PITTSBURGH.
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