The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-16

NiNhASNOt 81 Shey iO'-bONothoi
0Fural returned from Pocahontas to.
day moro than ever convinced that
,asrc would have been trouble OF the
most seriou, character At that place,
bu, Tor tho presence Of tho military.
"Ju,, look at tho situation" said hc.
There were from four to six thousand
striking minors from wolt Virginia,
composed largely OF uunrariau,, Poles
aud other Foreigners coming into Poca.
hontas to force the men in those mines
to 90 out OF course tho authorities
would have been powerless and that
there would have been rioting and do
,ructiou OF property and loss OF life. is
certain"
~ have great sympathy with the
West Virginia miners" he won't on.
They have been badly treated and ,hoy
arc being made the cat.paw OF the coal
operators, for this is coal operators
strike"
lie then reviewed tho situation, cay.
Ing:
"Prior to April l the coal 10 that Soc
ton was sold by the operators to tho
Pocahontas Coal Company. all the stock
OF which belongs TO the Norfolk &
Western Railroad Company. Under
the contract then in force the coal pro.
ducers received for their coal in cara at
the mines an average Of II! cents per
gross ton, and the Pocahontas Coal
Company disposed OF tho product to
the best advantage and paid to the rail.
road company the net balauco for the
freight chargeL
The price of coal went down to such u
low figure during the panic that while
the coal operators received regularly
their minimum price OF 72i cents per
gross ton, the total gross receipts OF the
railroad company for the transportation
was less than three mills per mile. The
resul. was that while many Of the oper-
aiors earned % per cent on their capital
invested, the railroad company was
forced into the hands OF receivers. 1t
Eould have been inpossible, therefore,
Tor the railroad company or tina receiv-
e. to have continued TO guarantee so
large price TO the operators, but part
from this tho law was enacted by tho
last session oil the Weat Virginia legsla-
sure prohibiting railroads from selling
coal. and this Of ITSELF compelled the
Norfolk & Western to retire from the
business.
"On April l Costhsr & Curran were
chosen by the operators as their general
agents. Alter conference between the
receivers OF the railroad company and
the committee OF the operators, m ar.
rangement was agreed upon which
would havo Melted the operators an nv.
erage OF ai1ty.four cents per ton at the
mines. At tho time that this arrange
ment was made the operators were ask
ed by the receivers II they intended to
reduce tho wages Of the miners and they
replied that they did not. But without
notice to the receivers they subsequent
IL cut wages 10 tasc effect May l."
The governor is satisfied that tho
operators forced the West Virginia
miners to strike. to force tho railroad to
reduce freight charges. He aided:
IAN this trouble IL In West Virginia;
the operators at Pocahonsas have stood
by their agreement and the men arc
entirely satisfied with the treatment
they received. Many lniners would
have returned to work but for fear
growing out OF the fear that the West
Virginia miners, who are backed by the
West Virginia operators, are threaten.
ing them with violence if they work,
and it is to pro.ec! these men tina.
troops are kept at Pocahontas."
When Governor 0'Ferrall left there
were three hundred mon at work in the
mines OF the Southwest Company. Six
moro were to 90 on last night. two hun
dred moro we're expected this morning
and four hundred moro on
tomorrow. The company is taking
back its old men, upon application,
except in tho ca,s Of few obatrepcrous
leaders.
[Governor oFerrall's recital of tho
inside history oil the strike in tho Elk.
horn region Is confirmatory OF the story
published III tho 1SrELLrGEScEg May 8,
in alno.tevery particular.