Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-12
MINERS ON THE FENCE.
A Big Convention To-day Will De-
eide Where They Will Stay.
RAE AND POWDERLY TO THEIR AID
Job Printers Claiming a Victory in
Thirty-six Offices.
MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL ITEMS

One of the most important conventions OF
miners in this State for years will be held
to-day, at Houtzdale, in the Clearfeld dis
fact that it involves the probable with
drawal of all the miners from this district
from the United Mine Workers organization.
For some time past the miners of the
Clearfeld district have been in disor-
ganized state. They have been dissatisfied
with the organization. Officials of the
miners organization have attended meeting
after meeting and spoken to the men time
after time, and still feeling of distrust exists
among the men and there is danger of them
pulling out. They have threatened to do
this several times, and word was received
in this city last night that the miners had
given Mr.. Rae their ultimatum. This was,
that if he would take Mr.. Powderly, Cen
eral Master Workman of the Knights of
Labor, to meeting they would call, and if
he and Powderly could satisfy them that it
was to their interest to remain in the Or
ganization as they are now, they would be
satisfied to remain. Their general COM
plant is that they have not been treated
right. Their specifications will be laid
before to-day's convention.
ALL EYES ON THE CLEARFIELD DISTRICT.
Local miners are keeping t! cir eyes on
the Clearfield district, and the officials
are said to be afraid that if the Clear
field miners leave the organization
the Pittsburg miners will do the same.
The matter is all the more interesting be-
cause of the local strike now on. If the
strike should be lost, the danger of losing
the men would be greater. 1t is well known
that feeling of unrest existed here, and
was only lulled by the appearance of Mr..
Rae and the subsequent strike for more pay.
At the very time the men here were APP
pealing for more recognition from the
officials, the miners of the Clearfeld dis
trict were sending forth their walls.
1t turns out now that the local fight is not
to be won so easily as was anticipated.
There is no concealing the fact among the
operators that an agreement has been en-
tered into by 60 of the most prominent
ones, excepting Henry Floersheim, binding
themselves not to grant the advance, and
they have given the men until The end of
this week to return to work. They have
given the men no official notice to this
effect. but it is the avowed purpose of the
operators, at the end of that time, if the
strikers have not returned to work, to i'm
port men and put them to work in their
places.
HUsTLING BY LABOR OFFICIALS.
This statement gained circulation among
the miners during the latter part of last
week, and had the effect of soaring some of
them back to work. President Costello
and Secretary McQuaide, with their
lieutenants, hustled around among the
men, and on Saturday they claimed there
never was so complete q cessation of work
in this district as now.
A long and bitter fight is looked for and
much depends upon the result of to-day's
convention. President Rae is now in
Houtzdale, and the vice president will go
there this morning. Master Workman
Powderly will also arrive this morning in
time for the convention. 1t is expected it
will be completed to-day, but may continue
over until tomorrow. President Rae is
announced to speak at Smithton tomorrow;
the following day at Lucyville, and on
Thursday at Black Diamond.
There was report current that meeting
of operators will be held to-day. None of
them could be seen. Both Colonel Rend
it was stated that they will be at the meet
ing, and that the proposition to buy out
the latter's mines will be considered fur
ther. When Mr.. Floershein was asked
about this matter, he said the other opera
tors could buy him out if they wanted to
pay his price. OF course, he did not state
what that would be. He prefers telling
the operators confidentially, first.