Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-08-13
RAMON THECAMPERS
the STRIKE OF THE COAL MINERS
NEARING a CRISIS.

Dsstrict President Dolnn Accuses Opera
tors OF Pittsburg District with Having
Broken Faith with the strikers-De
Armitt Makes o speech 20 the Men.
Pittsburg. Aug ia crisis is fast
approaching IN the miners movement
against the New York and Cleveland
Gas Coal company. The next few days
should determine whether OF not the
strikers object will be realized. Yes
tefday's work Is not Viewed In
disappointing light by the campers at
Turtle Creek, Sandy Greek and Plum
Greek. yet the happenings were not Of
the most encouraging sort They mad
to contend with their hrst spell OF bad
weather A heavy rain drenched the
camps and prevented the marchers
from carrying out their regular pro
gfamme.
AT Plum Creek the rain and contin-
ued absence Of a band kept the men in
their quarters, with the result that 1T
tla II any missionary work was under
taken. The storm also had the effect
of preventing the march to the Spring
I'm mines, between Wilmerding and
Wall Station, which are owned by Al
eKander Dempster The only march Of
the day was made by the $50 men at
I
Camp Determination, who left camp
shortly after o'clock, and. marching
close to the Oak Hill tipples, spent two
hours in the vicinity Of the miners
homes.
There was not even ordinary excite
ment attached TO the invasion along
Thompsons Run.
A summary of the days developments
finds the conditions much the same as
they We're the da1tAefore, save that the
company claims to have made fur
ther break in the strikers ranks at
Turtle Creek. and Sandy Creek.
Clamoring For the Leaders.
The Plum Creek mine was running
considerable coal yesterday, and the
number of men reported at work equals
that Of Monday, The failure to hold
meeting at Camp Isolation was another
disappointing feature Of the day, and
the men are loudly clamoring for the
presence of the officials. The batch of
Italians that struck camp Monday are
expected to do much good among their
fellow countrymen at work in the Plum
| Creek mine, but active labors are being
withheld until today, when It Will be
positively known whether or not the
men propose remaining away from the
pits.
District President Patrick Dolan has
accused the operators Of the Pittsburg
district with having broken faith with
the striking miners In this district. He
also outlined the policy TO be pursued by
the United Mine Workers in their fight
In the central Pennsylvania district,
where 1t is proposed to close down all
the mines. He cannot predict when the
/ Strike will be settled. but claims his
organization can stand the strike until
the last of September.
Promises Not Kept.
4 The operators. he said, had promised
| to pay the price when the supply at
| De Armitt's mines had been cut off.
| This has been done but the operators
had failed to keep their part of the
contract The miners who have been
working regularly at Oak Hill mines
/ have been paid Those who Joined the
strikers did not get their cash, the COM
\ pany holding IT, as under the contract
/ the men forfeited their wages by strik-
| ing There was no excitement. Be-
tween 800 and 400 employees were on
hand, but few of them received any
| money. Mr. De Armitt made speech
TO the men, telling them he sympathized
with them and that the money was
withheld, not because the company
wanted It, but because It had to carry
| out the terms of the contract. He de-
nounced the midnight marching and the
encampment and said II was blot up
on the history Of the country that the
laws are not enforced and such move
ments stopped.
An epidemic Of typhoid fever pre-
walls in the Turtle Creek valley, and it
Is feared that the disease will break
out in the miners camp. The health
authorities have warned the citizens
not TO use the water from Turtle creek
as It Is known TO contain typhoid
! germs
Turtle creek is the only stream within
several miles of the camp. and the
strikers are compelled TO use the water
for drinking, cooking and bathing pur-
| poses.