Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-05-08
THE MINERS STRIKE.

THE MINERS STRIKE.
A dispatch from Pocahontas says
"The only movement of the troops
in the coal fields yesterday was the re-
moyal of Captain Perkins command
from the Browning mines to Pocahon-
tas. There are $50 picked men at work
in the Southwest Virginia Improve
ment Company's mines. The machine
men are at work. The best of order
has been preserved in this city. The
miners held mass meeting just across
the State line in West Virginia. Soldiers
would not permit travel on the
thoroughfares, but the meetings were
reached. The miners are now thorough
" organized, and will hold mass-meet.
ing to-day at Simmons and Maybury,
in West Virginia. The fields are
unit for the strike, but the coal COM
panies say they intend to run the
mines it new men have to be brought
in. The Southwest Virginia Improve
ment Company and the Eckman mines
have telegraphed for six hundred
miners to come to this place, and the
houses are now being put up by the
coal company to house them. MIR.
Bullitt says he intends to win or break
the Pocahontas Company.
The Southeast Virginia Coal Com
pany issued circulars last night that
it would pay all men on Thursday, but
no men who occupy company houses
would be paid till the houses were
vacated. As most of the houses there
are che company's, nearly all the min
ers will be dispossessed.
A dispatch from Blue6eld, W. Va,
says the strikers got taste of martial
law yesterday afternoon. A crowd OF
200 Pocahontas miners were held up at
No. tunnel on their way to the meet
at 2:30 p. m. by a detail of eleven ofthe
Lynchburg Home Guards, under the
command of Lieut.. Seabury. They
were told they could not 60 by without
pass and Maj. Simons refused the
pass. Lawless and his followers, who
were expecting the crowd. are enraged
because they were not allowed to at
tend the meeting. Quite an excite
ment prevailed for an hour or two.
The Elkhorn mines were silent, with
absolutely nothing doing, many of
them being boarded up to prevent in
gress. The Pocahontas mines were in
operation with substantially the same
force as on the previous day. Mr..
Browning gained about ten men, but
only loaded FIVE cars. The Southwest
Company actually had a smaller force
than on Monday, but all the machinery
was manned and an output of about
twenty.eight cars was reached. There
were only thirty-one pick men in the
mine.
Several soldiers who have been sta
toned at Pocahontas passed through
Lynchburg yesterday evening en- route
to their homes in Charlottesville. They
said that everything was quiet at the
seat of war, and that the only appre-
hension of a disturbance was in connec-
tion with the attempted employment
of new men. On being asked how
long they thought the military would
be held at Pocahontas, they replied
that it was rather hard to say. 1t
might be few days and it might be
weeks. la reply to question as to
what were the opinions of the soldiers
in regard to the Governors action in
calling out the militia, they said that
there was quite difference. Many of
the military thought there had never
been any necessity for the Governors
action, while others deem it wise
course to pursue.
The Lynchburg Aduance received the
following telegram from Pocahontas
yesterday:
PocAHoNTAs, Va, May Please
state over my signature that the Gov
ernor and people of Virginia have and
are being outrageously deceived and
treated by the call made and the pres.
ence of troops at this place. Never be.
fore in the history of our country was
the like known. i'll. BABER.
A telegram from Pocahontas says
General Anderson left for the East |
yesterday afternoon. Everything was
quiet last night, but the guard is still |
and the troops are con-
stantly ready for an emergency"
"A dispatch from Richmond says
THE presence of the military continues
to prevent any acts of violence in Pc.
cahontas. The Governor received
telegram from Pocahontas from Major
Simons yesterday evening which |
'aid: All quiet at present. am sat.
sfied that the presence of the military
has and will continue to prevent any
attempt at violence. I have
instructed my men to avail themselves
Of every opportunity to cultivate a
friendly feeling with the miners. My
headquarter duties are heavy.
am very careful in the exercise of my
Judgment, having many questions to
deal with"
SEARCEY AND MoRGANFIELD.-Sear.