The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-25
AT THE CAMPS.
Marchers at Sandy Creek Sent Home
missionary Work.


PITTSBURG, Aug. 24.--The camp of the
striking miners which has been maintained
for the past four weeks at Sandy Greek in
order to keep the miners from returning to
work in that pit was broken up this morn
ing and the seventy men were sent to their
homes This action was taken by the
miners officials because the mine there is
tightly closed, and tho strikers are fully in
sympathy with the movement for higher
wages.
The campers at Turtle Creek were very
much elated to-day over a rumor afloat
among the strikers that T. B. DeArmitt
superintendent of the Oak Hill mines went
to some of the Italian strikers and offered
to pay them half of the money they for
feited and 81 cents ton for digging coal
II they would return to work tomorrow
morning. This, the strikers claim, is an
evidence Of weakness on the part of the
company, who, they claim, are apparently
anxious TO have the strike settled now at
any price, so that they can get their mines
TO working The rumor is given for what
1t IS worth, Superintendent DeArmitt
could not be found to affirm or deny it.
In the case of Thomas Deere against the
New York and Cleveland Gas Coal Com
pany TO recover wages retained, Alderman
>. j. ToOle this afternoon gave the plaintiff
a judgment for $49.26. Deere sued for
wages alleged to be due from July 16 to
Aug. b. lie is one of the DeArmitt men
who Joined the strikers at Plum Creek and
his wages were declared forfeited under the
ironclad contract Suits for wages have
been entered against the same company by
five others. A hearing will be held by AL
derman Toole next Monday morning at II
o'clock.
During the day the campers succeeded in
doing considerable missionary work by GO
ing about in groups of two. They claim
to have made a number of converts, and
~ f1xr ma at NRx in
the Oak Hill mine to-day. The company
offsets this claim, however, by saying that
as to-day was pay day at the Oak Hill mine
they did not expect as many men out
as usual, as some miners always remain
idle on pay day. They claim, however,
that the forces of men at work is increas-
ing day by day. despite what the strikers
say. The same plan was carried out at
the Oak Hill mines to-day, as We're fol-
. lowed last pay day. The men who have
contracts and who Joined the strikers with
in the past two weeks received no pay and
were discharged if they refused to work.
Those who had no contracts and who
struck were paid off in full.
In response to the call for a meeting of
leaders of the several trades unions of AL
legheny county, issued by the district
miners' officials a very representative
gathering delegates from about fifty
unions) assembled i'll X of j.. Hall to-niS hit
to take actios on the big strike. The ma
tional officers of the miners union, PreSi-
dent Ratchford and Secretary Pearce, re-
considered their intention 10 leave the city
tonight ana postponed their departure un-
til tomorrow, in order to be present at the
meeting. President Ratchford and the dis
trict officials explained in detail the con-
duct of the strike and the reasons for what
action had been taken The meeting dis
cussed the subject thoroughly and at mid
night adjourned, after having heartily in
dorsed the action of the officials, and unan-
imously adopted resolutions condemnng
the court and sheriff for protecting armed
assassins, issuing instructions by the court
"at the will of favored corporations" and
inlr of lt~xy
to hold themselves in readiness for a. gen.
eral suspension of all work In mills and
factories and workshops if the courts per-
sist in defying the constitutional rights of
the DaOOle