The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-29
Special to THE TIMHs.

Special to THE TIMHs.
PocAHoNTAs, Va, May 2S.-The de-
velopments Of yesterday and to-day are
among the most interesting of any since
the beginning Of the strike and the re-
suits on the whole make to-dsy the
most important of any for several
weeks. More than hundred miners
have been added to the forces of the
four Elkhorn operations and they have
not yet been molested. The strikers
assembled in large crowds to persuade
the new men not to go to work, but of
no avail. No attempt has been made
to use force. The new mon are natives
and mostly white and came here to work
and cannot te turned aside. The
strikers are much disappointed over the
large addition to the working forces of
these four operations which did not re-
duce wages. The operators claim that
thousands OF workmen are available,
but it has been shoir policy to go slowly
in the mat yer Of bringing labor from the
outside, as they prefer working their
cid employees
The strikers are also disheartened
from the fact that many of the strikers
are breaking loose from the union and
goiny back to work, and they fear a
general STAN pede, as the mon arc fear
full of seeing their places usurped by
outsiders.
The Houston Company say positively
that they will have a large force of
their old men in by June 1. The
strikers now ind themselves brought to
point where they must make speedy
decision
They do not know what is best, but
IL is thought that within the next three
or four days general change will take
place.
There seems to be some discomfort
with the leadership OF the atrike. Moth :,
Ing has been gained for the cause of
labor and in q few days hundreds OF the
strikers will sea their places filled and
the Elk operations which did not cut
wages working just as usual. There
has been difference Of opinion among
the strikers as to the bsst course to
pursue.
The plan Of the leaders was to curtail
the railway tonnage as much az posi-
Bile, and the miners Of the six opera
tions came out through sympathy.
Others believed that the best way to
maintain wages WI uld be to strengthen
these companies by increasing their
forces and supply the coal demand,
hence the discomfort against the strike
leaders. Many OF them now think it
best to keep the railway traffic as high
as possible.
There is universal sympathy for the
striking miners. Everybody with any
knowledge OF the nituation would like
to see them get their positions again at
the old scale Of wages. and secure a cor
rection Of other abuses in the field. On
this point there is practically no differ
ence of opinion.
In the controversy between the opera
tors and the railroad, the lines are
sharply drawn. but the pressing guess
tions now pertain TO the settlement of
the labor questions, regardless OF which
Is right or wrong.
1t Is to be hoped that some conces-
sions will be secured from all the COM
panies, and that all may be satisfac-
torily adjusted, but the indications are
that whatever they do on that score
must be done quickly. 1t Ia authentic
ally reported that when the new miners
on Elkhorn started so work they in
formed the large Gro wd of strikers who
had assembled that they were armed,
and had come there for the purpose of
working and intended to do so, and that
they were ready for them If they made
any attemp, to modest them. It is now
believed, on the whole. that the back
bone OF the strike Is broken, and that
the four Elkhorn operations, not in
cluded In the com ine that made the
reduction OF wsges, will get out their
usual output OF coal. Chief Bugler
Slime and Drummer Boy Edwin Fisher,
OF the Roanoke Machine Works Guards,
arrived to-day. MIR. Slime had been at
home on furlough visiting his family.
1t seems to be the consensus of opin.
ion that the backbone of the strike is
now broken. Southwest and Browning
mines are working. Over fifty Of the
Southwest's men went back to work this
morning The Grocer worked ninety
men today, Houston sixty, Pulaski
thirty five or forty, and Uplands will
start up in the morning. The output
from these: mines was twenty-five cars
OF coal and some coke.
Southwest got out eighty-two cars of
coal and seventeen of coke. Browning
eleven, making total OF ninety-three
Fifteen union men went to work at
Houstons.
The Roanoke Machine Works Guards
return thanks to their lady friends who
80 kindly remem bered them by sending
a nice large box OF beautiful flowers.
m.