The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-29
Sheriff at Roanoke Unable to Procure Sufficient
Force to Resist Thousand Men March
ing the Town.
UNIFORMITY AGREEMENT IS ADOPTED.
Operators Vote to Abolish the Company Stores and
Pay the Men Every Two Weeks
Col. Rend Approves.

tracts for a stipulated period at a fixed
price. 1t is understood that these shall
nave the right to supply the product
to I'LL these contracts at the rate of
mining on which the contracts are
based. Here is where the miners and
operators will separate
Inc attendance at the session today
was not as large as the day previous.
operators from eighty-five rail mines
and five river mines agreed to take
part in the convention, which is a larg-
er percentage than it was hoped to
get together. The operators worked
smoothly, and few objections were
raised to the agreement as written.
There was close vote on the question
whether the commission to be appoint
ed should be privileged to tamper with
the differential in the thick and thin
vein region. Frank Osborne made
motion to let it stand as usage and Gus
tom had made it, but w. P. De Ar
mitt argued that if the differential was
fair and just none should fear to have
the subject arbitrated. The vote on
the question resulted in 13 to have it
settled by a commission and II to have
1t stand as at present. All the voting
was light.
Mr.. Hoosack almost broke up the as
semblage when he moved to make the
agreement become operative when sew
enty-five Of the operators signed. OBJ
jections were raised to this motion, and
]. B. Zerbe, who acted as chairman,
hesitated to put the motion. He said
the whole agreement would be void.
and the motion was an obstruction.
The vote was then taken, and resulted
in to make it rs per cent and IA to
make it 95 per cent.
MIDDLESBORO, KY, July 28.-The
operators of the Middlesboro district
have given a raise of 10 cents per ton
to the miners who have resolved not to
join the strikers.
PITTSBURG, July 2S.-The general
strike situation is less encouraging
from the miners standpoint than 1t
was a week ago. Breaks in the ranks
Of the river men and general feeling
Of dfscoura cement over the West Vir-
ginia- situation have combined to
quench enthusiasm in. a remarkable de-
gree: One prime factor In bringing
back this condition Of affairs is thought
to be the -fnaction of. the Wheeling con-
vertfon in deVising ways to- stop coal
shipments from the disputed territory.
On all sides the conference was con-
fidently looked upon by the men as
presenting speedy solution of the
West Virginia. problem and a means
Of making the tie-up general. The is
uance Of long resolutions was in the
nature Of a boomerang.
Tomorrow morning will witness one
Of the most interesting and some con-
fidently predict the last mass meeting
of the present strike All efforts have
been concentrated on De Armitt's
mines, and labor officials are to rally
the men from all over the country.
Eugene V. Debs and President Ratch-
ford, of the United Mine Workers,
will be among the chief speakers, while
there will be a host of lesser officials
and organizers. The demonstration is
planned as a peaceful one and with
the idea of making one last effort to
bring out the working miners by the
strongest kind of moral suasion. The
meeting will be held at McCrea's S school
house, near Plum Creek. Miners will
march to the place Of assemblage
from all nearby mines.
All sorts of rumorS are in circulation
tonight concerning this meeting. One
is that force may be used should moral
suasion fail, in bringing the De Ar
mitt men out. In support of this it is
reported late tonight that at least five
hundred strikers are at Turtle creek
now and small parties are constantly
arriving to augment the crowd. The
men carry clubs and have provisions
for a two or three days outing. A
large number of deputies are in read
mess to take a hand should their ser
vices be needed.
The miners officials say positively
that there will be no trouble and they
believe the working miners will listen
to reason and join their brethren.
CHARLESTON, w. Va, July 2S-
President Ratchford, of the United
Mine Workers; President Gompers, of
the American Federation Of Labor, and
Grand Master Sovereign, of the
knights of Labor, arrived here this
evening and Immediately called upon
Gov. Atkinson to get an expression
from him as to their rights to speak
and hold meetings in West Virginia,
and especially to complain Of the in
junction issued by Judge Mason pro-
hibiting the organizations to appear or
hold meetings ON the grounds of any
coal company without permission, or
upon any road leading to the COM
pany's property.
Gov. Atkinson pointed out to his
visitors that three branches of state
government, the executive, the legis-
separate and distinct, and that he had
Jurisdiction only in the executive
branch, and that the matter Of issuing
the injunction is purely matter of
the courts, or the judicial branch. The
governor had not seen an official CODY
of the injunction, but If what he got
from the newspapers in regard to IT
was correct, he believed that the in
junction was too sweeping in it's pro-
visions. However, he would withhold
his opinion upon it till he had seen an
official copy.