Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-15
RIOTING Is IMMINENT.
A New Move in the West Virginia
Strike Causes Apprehension.
THE MINERS ARE DETERMINED.
Ohio National Guardsmen Imported to Act
As Constables.
NEGROES NOW BEING PUT TO WORK
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE p,spArcH.1


CHARLEsToN, w. VA, Sept 14-What
may happen at Raymond City, 20 miles
west of here, before tomorrow night it is
impossible to tell. The miners of the
Marmet Mining Company at that place have
been on strike for higher wages since JAN
uary and in all that time, but little work
has been done. A few men have been at
| work, but not tenth of the usual number.
AT the same time the strikers have been
occupying the company's houses, from
| which by means of legal technicalities the
company has been unable to evict them.
Two weeks ago 150 men went to the
mines, demanded to speak with the few
men at work and endeavored to make them
| strike. The men have in some instances been
roughly treated, being stoned and once
fired upon by an unknown person. The
company's unoccupied houses have also
been stoned. The company has finally de-
termined to begin operations and sent for a
lot of negroes. The Sheriff of Putnam
protection, but the people of the county
sympathized with the miners in their de-
mand for more pay and refused in many
cases to assist the company.
OHIO GUARDsMEN AS CoNsrABLEs.
Under these circumstances IS men were
brought from Ohio yesterday, most of them
members of the First Regiment, Ohio Ma
tional Guard, and were all sworn in this
morning MS special constables. They are
armed with revolvers and Winchester rifles
and are guarding the company's property.
The miners counsel and officers called on
the Governor this morning, claiming they
are violating the law in organizing an
armed force without his consent. The Gov
ernor sent q communication to Raymond to
find out the truth, and on their reporting
tonight that the men are under the
control of the civil authorities of the county,
he promptly declared that he had no author
ity in the matter and refused to act. The
men are special constables sworn in by JUS
ticc of the Peace, and the Governor has
nothing to do with them.
This afternoon a carload of negroes from
Tennessee passed through here to work in
these mines on their arrival. The were met
by the specials, fully armed, and escorted to
the company mines. More are expected to-
morrow, when an attempt will be made to
put them to work.
ARMED GUARDS ON EVERY HAND.
Whether there will then be an outbreak
cannot he told. The miners lawyers are
counseling moderation, but say that if the
specials whom they characterize as thugs
their counsel. A big secret meeting was
held tonight and another will be held to
morrow. The miners are endeavoring to in
duce the negroes not to go work and are in
some cases successful. What will be the
suit of their meetings is not known, but
there is imminent danger of an outbreak
should the negroes go to work tomorrow.
The strikers are backed by the United
Mine Workers of America and the Fedora
tion of Labor, and the Marmet coal is al
ready under q boycott. 1t looks as if there
might be serious trouble before the
mines are put in successful operation
again. though so far there has been
no attempt at force on either side NJ. F.
Moran. of Wheeling, President of the United
Mine Workers of America for West Virginia,
is at the scene of the trouble. The com
pany's property is patrolled by armed
guards and the miners meetings are also
held behind picket lines.