Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-13
BREAKING THE STRIKE
Local Operators Importing Colored
Men to Help Them Win.
THE FIRST INVOICE A FAILURE.
Three of Them Turn Up in Pittsburg and
Tell Strange Story.
STRIKERS SCARE THEM BY THREATS


break their strike. Three colored men ap-
piled at the Department of Charities yester-
day for transportation to Lynchburg,
Va They were Jacob White, John
Thomas and Henry Anderson. White was
the spokesman for the party and told q
story purporting to explain how the river
coal operators intend to break the strike.
"we live in Lynchburg," said White.
''and last Thursday 81 men, some with
their wives and children, were brought to
Elkhorn. 1t is a little town on the Nc
Keesport and Bellevernon Railroad,
% miles from Pittsburg. We were
employed in LyHchburg by Robert Day,
Jr., of ia Webster avenue, Pittsburg.
Day painted things to us in a very bright
manner. He said we would get 8 cents
q bushel for mining coal. I asked
him whether there was any trouble at Elk
horn and he said that there was not. We
were to work for w. H. Brown & Sons
Strikers Make Ugly Threats.
:'Day on Thursday landed us at Elkhorn.
We were met at the station by a crowd of
whites. They told us if we went to work
they would do us harm. Some of them dis
played revolvera We were told that
if we took their places in the
mines and lived in the company houses
they would blow up the houses and throw
US all into the river. AS soon as Day
heard them making threats he jumped
on train coming to Pittsburg. I asked him
to take us away, but he couldn't do it.
None of us had any money. Early
Thursday morning the greater number of
US left. going in all directions We three
walked to Pittsburg and got here late Fri
day night There are number of them on
the way here now. Bay promised us so
much that some of the men brought their
wives and little children with them.
They could not walk all the way to Pitts
burg, and had to stay in Elkhorn at the
mercy of the strikers. Those who had FAM
lilies even went so far as to dispose of their
household effects at Lynchburg, and now
they have nothing.
Day Could Not Be Found.
''we tried to find Day since we came to
Pittsburg, but have not been able to locate
him yet. If we get our hands on the fellow
he will be sorry he ever seen u.s.
The three men worked in tobacco factories
in Virginia and knew nothing about mining.
Chief Elliott gave them transportation
to Cumberland and bought them something
to eat He expects to have to trans
port the whole "a in the next
four or five days He said that
Day was liable to arrest by the poor author
tiles of Elkhorn. If these people became
charge to them Day could then be made
pay fine of S75 for each man or woman
who asked for aid. Had Day brought these
people to Pittsburg this is what Chief
Elliot would have done.
l. III 81
he had misrepresented the situation at
colored man himself and very bright. 81
deny said he, "that I made any promises
to these people that were false, so far as
I knew. w. 81. Brown & Sons sent
me to Lyncbburg to get these men. Mr..
Brown told me that there was no trouble at
Elkhorn. He said they intended to mine 1
coal at 3 cents a bushel and had also de-
cided to supplant their white miners by
blacks This is exactly what I told the
men hired.
Days Side of the Story.
s'The men were told the mines were near
and 1 guess the fellows thought
they would have soft snap. 1t is true
that the whites met the coIored men at
The train and did make threats,
was as Elkhorn to-day, and there are
number of the imported men there yet. 1
10 not think there, will be any trouble.
'tI don't see why those fellows went to
he DeJ artment of Charities. Why didn't |
they come to me?"
"would you have paid their way home?'
was suggested.
IT did not say that would" was Days |
reply. With this the interview ended.
The river operators yesterday in discuss
ng the strike said that if the old men did |
lot want to work at the reduced rate they |
,ould begin to hunt work elsewhere. On |
being asked what was meant, 1t |
was given out that the decision |
rad been about reached that men would be |
ent in to take the places of the strikers; |
hat there were plenty of idle men who |
we're not only willing but anxious to return
It the reduced rates. One operator said:
I'VE have the right side and ask nothing |
,ut Justice, and when we asked the miners |
% mine coal for the boats at the same rates
hey do for the railroads we asked nothin ng
,ut what was fair We guaranteed them
hole.
Either Work or Get Out
"We intend to teach them better and will
'ut, as the leading operators intend to put
lew men into their places. Strikes
AVE been broken this way and
an be again. There are plenty of idle
and they will be brought here I
10 not think there will be any trouble, and
he striking miners are not Of the class of
men to cause trouble. You will see that
vhen they see their places are being taken
hey will make rush for their old posi-
ions. think this new move will soon
'reak the strike, and that the mines will
ii be working within two weeks. The
perators mean business, and intend to meet
heir competitors, the railroads, on an equal
ooting."
John O'Neil, of the firm of W. W. O'Neil
3 Co., said:
II consider the strike has already been
'roken by the importation of the men by
". b. Brown & Sons, and the end will
DON be here. These men have been sent
nto the region with the intention
+ remaining on the ground, as steady
FORK has been guaranteed. We
re already losing by this prolonged strike,
nd cannot afford to wait on the decision of
he strikers, as they show q disposition to
tay out until the water comes, when
re will be helpless. More men will
e brought to work and the strikers will be
orced to accept the reduction. There will
ot likely be anv trouble"
A number of other operators spoke in the
anne strain and thought means for break
ng the strike had been found.