Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-29
BACKBONE BROKEN.
The Strike In The COal-PIeldS Nearing
Its End.
NEW MEN FOR WEST VIRGINIA.
They Are Armed and Mean To work.
Dissatisfaction with the Leader
ship-WilI Lnwlcss Heturns mill
tary Routine at POcahontas.

rived on tho Elkhorn and gone TO work.
Grocer mine IS now working more than
loo men, and the other three operators
who did not reduce wages. are increasing
their force 1t is learned from an
authoritative source that upon the arrival
OF the new men. they no,ihed the 900
miners who had begun congregating be-
fore daylight, 20 meet them. that they had
come there TO work, and were fully arm
ed, and that II they were to be
molested they were ready 10 fight. There
was the usual excitement, but no effort
was made 10 use force. The new men
vent 10 work. and the assembiage OF
stri-,r- remained around several hours,
discussing the situation.
GREATLY DISAPPOINTED.
The strikers we're greatly disappointed
when they saw the large fo-ce Of new
miners going 70 work for the four Elkhorn
mines that have practically broken the
backbone Of the strike. They We're
further dishear.encd by seems large
number Of the old men break loose from
union influences. and return 90 the mines.
They agC fearful Of a general stampede
on the part OF The old employees Of the
are beginning 10 think their sympathies
have extended far enough when they see
their places being ursurped by outsiderF'
while they remain out. The Houston
mine people say that IL Is settled fact
that many Of their old men viii be at
work by June lst
NATIVES AND WHITE
The new men that have been imported
are natives, and mostly white. and there
is no turning them aside. The four COM
panies in question say there are
thousands Of available men, but they are
going slowly. prefetr.ug TO give employ
mcnt % their Old men, if possible. but now
the eliminating point has been reached,
and they are going 10 Work, regardless
Of their old employees who struck without
ii grievance The strikers find themselves
at a point that they must request a
speedy decision il they wish 10 retain their
places Many OF them are IN a dilemma.
They do not know whether 70 break away
from the union or Eot as there has been
a difference Of opinion regarding the man
agement of the strike.
THE TWO VIEWS.
Lawless and tie other leaders have
fought on the line that a complete shut
down was the proper thing in order TO
decrease the coal tonnage as much as
]
road to terms Others were of the opin-
ion that the best way TO maintain wages
| would be to strengthen those companies
that made no reduction In wages. and
in that way keep the railway tonnage
as high as possible. Since the strike
has resulted in a partial failure, and is
now almost an entire failure, IL seems
| that the latter course would have been
| the better for the miners, as many OF
them are now accepting this and return
| ing 10 work There is n growing dissats-
| faction on the part Of the strikers against
| the leadership, owing to this mistake. No
| thing has been accomplished for the cause
| OF labor and every day sees the arrival
| Of new men, who are Usurpng the places
/ of the old ones while the latter stand
| idly by, helping their brethren. who
were compelled to suffer a reduction.
The miners ostcnsibly struck against
! the 20 per cent. reduction which a ma
| jority Of the West-NirGnia operators
announced, but the strike, through SYM
pathy and intimidation, extended to the
six corporations that did not cut wages.
SYMPATHY FOR THE MINERS.
There is universal sympathy for the
| striking miners. People everywhere would
| Ike TO see them get their positions again
| at the old wages. and secure a correction
! Of some Of the abuse 10 which they are
| subjected. on this point there IS prac-
! tically no difference OF opinion. In N
| controversy between the operators and
| the railway the lines are sharply drawn,
| but the leading question now is the set
! tioment Of the labor troubles. The strike
| seems 10 be nearing an end, and there is
| a painful lack Of definite plan, either
on the part of the miners, in staying out
| or going back TO work. but IL is not be-
4 rFrtN 9
| idly by much longer and see new men
| filing their places. 1t is 10 be hoped
| that they can secure some concessions
| from all the operators, but II is evident
| from the indications that whatever is
| done on that score will have 10 be done
| quickly. LaWless has been urged TO call
| the strike of, so far as the six companies,
| two in Virginia and four In West Viz
| ginia, are concerned.
| The entire output yesterday was ITO
| cars of coal for the six operators.
on Elkhorn to-day ninety new men
| went to work at CroZers and sixty at
| Houstons including fifteen union men.
| About thirty-five resumed work az Pu-
lasN and Upland will resume tomorrow
| morning.
| CENTRE OF ATTRACTION.
| Grocer seems to have been the centre
|
gathered about the mire in small crowds
discussing the situation. There were no
overt acts of lawlessness, and everything
seemed perfectly quiet.
| X. NJ. Turner United States immigration
! Inspector, of jefferson county, ". Va
was here to-day, and was interviewed on
the situation by the Dispatch representa-
tive. He does not anticipate any trouble
! in Pocahontas and thinks the calling
out of the troops by Governor OFeIrdl
! was a wise precautionary measure. lie
also thinks he should not De cehsurec
| for his course.
Lawless left to-day for Columbus, o..
to attend the United Mine-Workers' con
| yention. II IS believed by many that he
| realizes that he has lost his manage
| ment OF the strike, and. owing 10 th'
feeling that is growing in the minds OF
the strikers who were employed IN me
mines that ordered no reduction, he vii
not return 10 the Flat-Top coal-felds
However, this Is only surmise.
THE MILITARY.
The military duties here remain abou
the same. The outpost guards are stu
kent up. a few Of the militia, who have
urgent business, are being relieved.
The Howitzers are all enjoying goo'
health. as are the other troops. Tit
I
since the assault on Private Fields, Of tn
Petersburg Grays.
The story that has gained prominence
that Private Bayliss was assaulted In
questionable place, is utterly false an'
without foundation. This can be PROVED
nv a number OF people whose words ar
unlmpeachable. Bayliss was assaulted Of
OUTPOST duty AGidavits as TO the truth
the matter will be furnished tomorrow
An attempt was made here 10 Tals
money enough among the miners 70 sen
aoiecotes 70 the Columbus convention, bu
q, resulted I'm a failure. This is anothe
evidence that they are weakening.
! y. White. Governor Maccorkle's pri
vate secretary. is still in the held- II
does not. ne says, think there VIII pe an
o,,tbreak ON the part OF the miners II
West Virginia.
As SEEN AT HUNTINGTON.
4 ~