The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-12
THEGREAf COALWAR
Forces Concentrating for
the Capture of West
Virginia Miners.
FUEL GROWING VERY SCARCE
Bosses Bulldozing the Men-smali
Dealers Combining-Boycot-
ting Non-Union Coal.


Virginia will be the cry this week of all
the labor leaders interested in the coal
miners strike During the week the
cleverest organizers, labor orators and ex-
horters will be at work in West Virginia
diggings spreading the doctrine OF the
strike Vice President Carney. of the
Amalgamated Association, and Rev
Winston Green, who were appointed or
ganizers by the United Labor League last
night, left for West Virginia this morn
ing, and six others, whose names have
not yet been announced, will follow to-
night or Tuesday.
Pittsburg's quota of organizers will be
Joined n West Virginia tomorrow or the
mex; tay by those from other parts of the
United States. There viii be enough OF
them to thoroughly cover the entire coal
regions of the State When they have
finished their work they will go 10 Penn
syivania and the Georges Creek district
of Maryland They viii work among the
miners OF the New YorR and Cleveland
Gas Coal Company and the Westmoreland
and Clearfie;d regions. if the strike is not
settled before that time. Whatever sue
cess they may have in the West Virginia,
Maryland, Clearfield and Westmoreiand
fields, the officials of the United Mine
Workers according to present indications,
viii have hard work in persUading the
employees in the New York and Cleveland
Gas Coal Company's mine to strike. The
officials are handicapped by the courts
injunction restraining them from going
on the company's property. But this diff
Guilty is overshadowed by the apathy of
the miners themselves. A visit TO the
mines developed the prevalence of will
lingness to strike provided the Mine
Workers Union guarantees them their
wages for the time they are out.
The feeling among the miners is ex-
emplified in the failure to hold the much
advertised meeting at Beulah Church yes
terday afternoon. At the Plum Creek,
Sandy Creek and Turtle Creek mines the
diggers knew nothing of the proposed
meeting. The miners said they would
not strike under any circumstances. They
have grievances, but some of them think
they were thrown down when they struck
three years ago. Superintendent Thomas
De Armit visited the different pits yester-
day and kept on the lookout for a meet
ing. 1t was freely stated that any miner
caught attending a meeting or foundtalk-
ing with any of the labor leaders would
be instantly discharged. The three mines
of the company put out 1900 tons of coal
per day. The coal is shipped to Pitts
burg and points west. The company is
trying to take care of all orders it can
get, attempting to buy coal from neigh
boring mines which are located on the
eastern edge, or outside of the Pittsburg
district.
The Ciearfield bituminous coal district
and what is known as the mountain coal
field, along the line of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, between Johnstown and AL
toena. began receiving orders today from
the dealers of the Pittsburg district. The
action of the United Mine Workers Off
cials, IN deciding TO make West Virginia
the battle-ground Of the strike has caused
alarm among the local shippers. Conse-
quently they will place emergency orders
at good round figures with the operators
in the Cleartield and mountain regions
in case the striking miners are success
full in efrectfng a total suspension Of coal
production in West Virginia and tne
Georges Creek district OF Maryland. The
latter has one Of the heaviest outputs
OF any coal region in the United States
and supplied tne eastern markets with
Of 1894.
Inc SIlidil COKE OpefdlCrS 91 the 1OIl-
nellsville region who own independent
plants it is said, will shut down the
majority of their ovens today and begin
to lead the raw coal for shipment AT
the present price OF bituninuous coal
than could be made BY manufacturing il
into coke.
With bituminous coal advacing and not
much of the product on hand, there
promises to be exciting times in the Goa
market today. It is known that there
are a number of operators short or
small orders and it is probable that a
number of the smaller dealers will unite
in making one big purchase and thus
protect their trade.
The visible supply of coal is very small
There are about ten train loads OF the
Pittsburg product on the sidings of the
ard Alliance. on which the railroad COM
pany has an eagle eye. Itwas mined for
The lake trade but has been held back
10000, 600 bushels on. the fats and barges
along the rivers. This might as well be
IN the mines as far as satisfying the
demand is concerned 1t Will cost nearly
and if it is put on the market it will be
at very stiff price.
There are serious doubts, however, OF
the opera tors being able to put it on the
market. TIE miners VIII watch the Goa
in the barges and II an attempt is made
to load it for the railroad trade, the
this the miners expect to be successful
Refeu Trade suffers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio. July IL, 1S97.-The
local coal operators took more hopeful
view of the strike situation this morn
ing. Dan Hanna manager of NJ. A
Hanna & Co., said that as long as the
westsvirginia coal was mined there could
be no particular stringency, as there i.
sufficient coal out of the earth already
to last until winter Small dealers. how
ever, are squiruing over their inability
to get coal for retail orders from the Dis
dealers. The big dealers VIII not par
with their supply Not a pound of Goa
entered the city yesterday
Positive information has been received
in this city that the Ohio roads have
decided to refuse TO haul West yirginis
coal. These riads include the D. & O..
the Cleveland, Lorain and Wheeling; the
Wheeling and Lake Erie and the Cleve
land. Canton ara Southern. An effort Is
now being made % verify the tnfornla
a prominent coal operator said thi.
morning that unless the miners are rep
resented at the meeting Of the boards Of
arbitration ait Pittsburg the whole thing
viii be q farce.
The miners are not in a position to ash
for han raa aaia More ne tag fe aD
their boasts. They have accomplished al
much. If not more, ts1l nthey. said they
would. They are in a position 10 dicta tc
MI M. ]. 3. zobe, of the Ohio and Penn
syivania Company went to Pittsburg to
Board 81 'ssff 81 Arbifration they viii aftens
fhe meetings of the State boards of Ohio