Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-06
Ttin I,en,linc Afri,tn.

The Heading strike.
by telegraph to tue Dispatch.l
PHILADELPHIA. January 5.-All indi-
vidual collieries in the neighborhood of
Shenandoah, ia are at work-some Of
them very large oucs, making heavy
shipments This leaves the Reading
company alone in the fight in that sec
ton, and with only four individual allies
in the whole lower anthracite coalfield.
The only hitch now feared in the case OF
individual mines Is the possible refusal
of the miners TO mine coal TO be handled
by non-union railroaders. Such cOmplI-
cation is deprecated by public sentiment
rs unwise in any event but especially so
as directed against individual operators
who have no option as to roads for snip
ment. Some OBJECTIONS have occurred IN
the ranks of the aOn-union rallrOaders IN
the mining section, owing 10 the ostra-
cisms and Inconvenience they meet with,
no boarding accommodations being OBJ
tainable. The company has been com
PEELED to transform several freight cars at
Mahonov Plane into eating and sleeping
rooms, while its offices and machine
shops are likewise adopted.
Heavy shipments Of coke are arriving
at Reading and other iron manufacturing
centres from Western Pennsylvania This
will be substituted for coal wherever pos
sible, and the alarm lest the lron-works
may shut down is subsiding. Another
temporary relief is found In the immense
stock of fine coal called buckwhcaf
coal" which the railroad company h.d
accumulated for It's own use as steam
fuel. This is now Being sold to outside
dealers.
The striking miners are taking pains
10 make il clear that their strike is not
one of sympathy with the railroad-men
| quarrel, but is for a continuance OF she
/ 3 per cent. increase above the $2.oU
basis. which the Reading Coal and Iron
/ Company discontinued January LIST. The
miners hold aloof from the railroaders IN
/ public at least, fearing that they may
/ prejudice their own case.
! PHILADELPHIA, January IA special
to the Press from .Pottsville says The
miners strike is more complete than
ever. Heretofore the number OF idle
and working colieries has been willingly
stated at the office of the coal and uou
company. TODAY the officials there SAID
/ that they had been instructed not to give
ont these figures. The miners say that
/ the reason is that there are nc
/ Reading collicries working 1T all.
The best information, however, IS that
the Suffolk colhery, near Mahanoy
/ City. and Brookside. at Tower City
are still working, but with crippled
forces. The Henry Clay Reading col
lery. near Shamokin, was compelled t.
| shut down to-day because of the breaka2t
| in the machinery. Two Reading col
/ heries-Richardso at Glen Carbon, ano
North Franklin, near Treyortcn-Wer'
working Yesterday, but are closed to-day
On account Of the strike. One of the IN
dividual olieries-William Penn, near
| ShenandOah-whic has been working
under an agreement to continue 10 pay on
the advanced basis pending settlement
shut down to-day. The reason Is thu
the miners refused to cut coal to b'
loaded on cars handled by n0n-unlor
men. This Is the first instance OF th'
kind, and it goes TO show clearly tina
the strike OF the miners Is not alone OF
account Of the question of wages, bu
that it is also intended to help thel
striking brethren OF the railroad.
RFADING, Pa, January 5.-Ihe IN
terruption of the coal output has had a
least one compensative effect upon thu
business Of the Reading company. j
has greatly simplifed the problem o
securing men to fill the places OF thu
refractory railroaders. On the Track
Vile branch. where ordinarily 1000 car
of coal are handled daily, now ther'
are none coming down, and o
course there is use for cOmparatiyel,
few of the 1ilroaders On the Lebanon
and fremont and Schuylkill and Sus
duehanna branches some fifteen entlr
crews. comprising seyenty-five men
have been laid off, and should the sus
pension of mining continue there vii
he no work for at least 1900 coal-traiT
men ordinarily employed. All tn
s;dings throughout the region ar
filled with empty cOal-cars. On tn
/ Schuylkill Valley branch the side-tracks
together with one OF the main tracks, ar
completely blocked from Palo Alto t.
Cumbok. distance of four or five miles
As An illustration Of direct loss to tn
men and consequential damage to tin
general business interests Of the Goa
region through a strike OF the magnitude
of this one, it may be mentioned tia
the Reading Coal and Iron Company
labor payroll for November last wa
/ $500. 600, and this was little more thai
the average monthly pay.