The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-10
THE READING COAL STRIKE
Business Men Arranging to Take Mat
tiers in Hand and Urge Settlement.
Chairman Lee Announces that the Knights
Of Labor Are in Excellent Shape, and Is
Quite Confident They Will Succeed.

PHILADELPHIA. Jan. 9-The most significant
feature OF the Reading railroaders' and miners
strike develored far was the arrival IN this
city tonight Of Messrs. Aylesworth, Carlton
aud Barry of the general executive board OF the
Knights of Labor, and the receipt OF kilograms
from Mcguire and Bailey. Of the board. stating
that they were making all possible haste to
reach this city In addition to the above-named
members of the executive board, Master Work
man W. T. Lewis, of National AS
sembly 1876, and Tom O'Reilly. who has been
acting as private secretary to Mr.. Powderiy,
during his illness. have also reached the city,
and as Secretary Hayes is already in the city.
IL is probable that meeting of the general ex-
ecutive board will be held Immediately on
the arrival of Mcguire and Bailey, TO take Of
fetal cognizance Of and action in the strike
of the Reading railroaders and miners. None
OF the members OF the board will say anything
In reference to the strike until meeting has
been held, and it ia impossible to learn what
action is contemplated. Chairman Lee, of the
Reading railroad employees executive committee.
arrived in the city tonight, and will be present
&C the meeting of the board.
READING, Jan. 9-At o'clock this evening
the Reading officers had no account of any trains
as having left above for down the road. 1t LOOKS
as if matters were becoming more serious every
day The business men in Schullkill county and
throughout eastern Pennsylvania will call on
President Corbin this week with view of urg-
ing . compromise with the striking miners. A
prominent Reading railroad official intmated
to-day that If the men showed a proper DISPOSE
ton and did not expect too much, he thought
the trouble would be settled within the next
cen days. There is little doubt that the whole
trouble would have been adjusted by this
time were il not that the miners have
become mixed MP with the discharged
xailroaders. There can be settle
ment unless they recede from their position.
The furnaces in this vicinity still in blast,
aud it is said the company will endeavor to
furnish them with sufficient coal to bridge over
the trouble. The Reading company are shipping
large quantities of pea and buckwheat coal down
the road to supply it's locomotives. They have
about &C, 600 tons at their chutes in this city.
Some forty men were employed in loading cars
to-day. Several OF the furnaces south of Read
ing are experimenting with coke, and if success
full it Is likely they will use it altogether. Some
of the rolling-mills also making changes
as to burn soft coal. Most of the mills have lots
Of orders on hand and cannot afford to shut
down. The Reading iron-works and Henry
Clay furnaces received forty cars of coal to-day,
which, it is thought, will keep them running
several weeks. RFt
Chairman John L. Lee and William L. Lewis,
master workman of the National Miners AS
sembly, held conference with prominent
Knights of Labor. last night in relation to the
strike The session lasted until nearly mid
night. Chairman Lee said tod sy. before leav-
ing the city. 81 feel that we have this strike in
~ Pail
pany's collieries are practically idle. They are
making show of running several of their mines
with handful of men. but they neither SELL
ing nor shipping a ton of COAL Beginning with
today, not an individual mine will DO in
operation. The miners OF the Wyoming
gion have not been called upon to strike, but
they have promised financial support. If it is
necessary to call them out to win the strike.
they will respond, TO a man; but no such order
has yet been issued II it is absolutely necessary
for the Reading miners to win, every miner in
Pennsylvania will be called upon to strike, and
our assurances are that they will all come out X
called upon" Mr.. Lee added that he had been
assured that the knights in this city
heartily with the order at large in demanding
the reinstatement of all the men discharged
after the strike had been declard off. and that il
they did move they would move as one man. In
this connection, however, it may be stated,
the other hand, that the Reading
Knights numb ering 1000, have reiterated time
and again that they would not strike. and this is
the situation to-day. The shops are working,
and there indications of a strike, though
they will give all the financial help they can.
Knights here say that, refusing to strike.
they obeyed the rules OF the order, as Chairman
Lee had no authority to order strike, which
could only be ordered by the district assembly
or the general executive board.
A great impetus TO the contributions in behalf
of the Lehigh strikers is manifested &C Wilkes
barre since the urgent appeals OF the knights of
Labor have come in. The miners say that they
are better able now to give than while ago, on
account of steady work in the mines assured by
the unprecedented demand for coal. The
solicitors also report generous contributions
the part OF the merchants who fully realize the
fact that the strike and general activity in the
Wyoming regions are benehting them to n
large extent They say too that good wages
means liveler trade, and aiding the strikers
elsewhere TO gain their points assures q contin-
nance of fair wages at Wilkesbarre with the
corresponding commercial benefits.
SHENANDOAH. Pa Jan. 9-Ever since the strike
started the Reading company has from twelve
to twenty men employed at each colliery repair
ing breakers and doing other dead work" The
Joint committee of the Knights of Labor and the
Miners and Laborers' Amalgamated Association
Issued orders to-day to these men TO quit work,
and there was general compliance with the
order. At one of the Lehigh Valley Coal Com
panys collieries seventv-five men were employed
at similar work. but without any agreement rec
Ognizing the Knights. They were called out to-
day. Forty OF them quit and the others will do
80 tomorrow. 1t is declared by the managers
of the strike that the individual collieries who
ship over the Lehigh Valley road may continue
to operate their mines, but that all the mines
whose product goes over the Reading must shut
down The miners, while in sympathy with the
railroadera, are not at all unanimous in their APP
prevail OF this move They are willing to con
tribute 10 help the strikers, but object to them
selves striking when their demands have been
granted. Whether they will yield to pressure
and quit work remains to be seen.
Brick-Layers and NIasons
BOSTON, Jan. 9.-The thirteenth annual con-
vention Of the Brisk-layers' aud Masons' Inter
n q tim al IInion mat hara to-day Tvro hnna=Aa