The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-27
Appeals of Debs and Other Labor
Leaders Not Needed to the Ex-
tent That Was Expected.
COURT INJUNCTIONS ISSUED
FORBIDDING INTERFERENCE WITH
THE OPERATION OF MINES.
TO-Day's Conference of Trades Union
of Operators at Pittsburg.

erS IN this state did not quit In a BODY to-
day some OF the strike leaders expected.
The indications are that the strike in the
southern part of the State is practically
over. There are now only four hundred
men out in the Kanawha field, about $50
out in the New River field and possibly
five hundred in the Norfolk & Western
field. The strike organizers have aban-
doned these three coal fields and are leav-
ing for other parts.
At Fairmont. the storm center of the
State, the Monongah Coal Company, Sena-
tor ]. N. Camden's plant, and the West
Fairmont Coal Company Ex-Governor
Flemings plant, got out an in
junction from Judge Mason, of
the Circuit Court restraining Eugene
" Debs, ct al, from interfering with
their men. The ct ais take in Mahon,
Rea, Crosslet, Miller and over one hundred
miners, and all of these cannot now hold
meetings on the company's grounds, or on
the roads leading there, and cannot inter-
fere with the men in any way. Intimida-
ton and threats are mentioned and miners
cannot now loaf around the grounds. A
meeting was announced for tonight at
New England, but none was held because
only twenty-three miners had gathered.
The injunction seems to have put end
to the strike at Fairmont. With all the
leaders at Wheeling the men say there is
nothing left for them to do but to go to
work. Fully one hundred men took this
step at Monongah to-day which, with
eighty men imported from the Connells-
Vile region, makes 1S0 men at work there.
The injunction issued to-day has not as
yet been served and the operators think
this step will be unnecessary. 1t is said
many miners want to go back to work and
that steps will be taken tomorrow
The indications are that to-morrow's con-
ference of labor leaders, made up of the
executive officers of the various organiza-
tiCns centered under the American Fedora
ton of Labor, will be largely attended.
Among to-days arrivals were Eugene V.
Debs, head of the Social Democracy; Vice
President Rea, of the Decorators and Paint
ers; President Mahon, of the Street-railway
Employees; President Samuel Gompers, of
the federation, and President Ratchford,
of the United Mine Workers, the last two
coming in on late trains. President
Sovereign, of the knights of Labor will ar
rive from Washington in the morning.
There is some differences of opinion as to
the result of the conference. Debs and Ma
hon tonight claim that the published re-
mont are incorrect. Debs says he is in
possession of reliable advices to the effect
that the strikers to-day received heavy ac-
cessions If the efforts of the agitators in
West Virginia has really been a failure it
is believed tonight that the railroad con-
ductors fremen and brakemen will be
asked to refuse to handle West Virginia
coal. There is some talk of a general sym
pathetic strike, but this does not meet with
anything approaching even partial favor.
boycott of West Virginia coal in the
event that the miners of this State decline
to join the strike will be discussed at the
conference tomorrow.
Though the strike leaders deny the re-
ports that the efforts for general strike
in the Fairmont region are a failure the
coal that is coming to Wheeling from Fair
mont on the B<imore & Ohio and sent
West and to the lakes by the three coal
carrying roads centering here shows that
the output at Fairmont is increasing. The
shipments to-day and Sunday have been
larger than for any day during the past
week To-day the Baltimore & Ohio sent
about one hundred cars West and fifty or
seventy-fve cars were sent North on the
two other roads. So far there has been
no interfering with the passage of the coal
trains in the eastern Ohio district.
When Eugene V. Debs made his appear
ance in Wheeling this afternoon he was
met by a large crowd at the railroad sta
ton. Tonight he addressed mass meet
ing in the central part of the city The ef-
forts to secure the public building square
for the meeting failed and the meeting took
place a square away. In speaking of the
situation in the Fairmont coal fields, he
said he felt encouraged. number of men
joined the strikers there on Sunday and
others are expected to follow. He says the
efforts of the organizers would have been
more successful but for the fact that the
operators, as he claims, prevented their
men from attending the meetings. Practical
slavery, he says, exists in the Fairmont
mining region.
Although the press may report the min
ers as living under favorable conditions in
the Fairmont region said Debs, Il have
collected data from farmers, miners and
storekeepers, which shows that the mining
companies cheat their employees in the
mines at the scales, and in the company
store. The intimidation practiced by the
operators has prevented many from joining
the strike, but we are hopeful of ultimate
success in West Virginia.