The Yale expositor., 1897-08-27
Mine Owners wm Use Force.


The operators of the Pennsylvania
coal mines held a conference in Cleve-
land, and determined that mines in
the Pittsburg district should be started
aud operated without futher delay on
the grounds that the miners have
taken a high-handed positions; that
nothing but an unreasonable price for
mining will satisfy their demand. 1t
was determined that all coal sold at
the 54-cent basis of mining this year
must be mined at that price. At least
three-fourths of the tonnage of the
Pittsburg district was represented at
the conference, and all are unani-
nous and agree to, if necessary, forci-
bly, resume operations, with the eXcep-
ton of NJ. A. Hanna & Co.
1t is the intention of the Pittsburg
operators to engage Pinkerton men to
protect their non-union men. This
action will probably precipitate ter
rible climax and the opel ators admit
that blood will probably flow. One
operator said: IF it is found necessary
to do so, whole army of detectives
will be employed, and If the worst
comes they will be supplied with Cat
ling guns and other equipments to con-
vince the strikers that we mean
business.
District President Dolan of the Min
ers' union says that the operators were
warned long before they made any
contracts for coal on a 54-cent basis
that an increase of wages would be
asked. He says the operators replied
that they did not fear a serious strike.
But now that the operators have called
for fight we are in it to the bitter
end. President Ratchford says: 1--WE
would much prefer to fight along
peaceable lines as we have been doing,
but our board will be obliged to meet
the tactics of the other side and, also,
to take steps to extend the fight into
other methods to meet the injunctions.
Our people are being arrested in a
wholesale manner for holding public
meetings and we don't propose to have
iniunctions break this strike"
The executive board of United Mine
Workers has called for conference of
all federated unions at st. Louis, Aug.
30. The purpose is to secure the CO.
operation of all these organizations.
They will be asked not merely for sym
pathy, but to JON in the great strike.
The plan is to tie up traffic on the rail-
roads and in other channels of business
so that the supply of coal may be eff
fectually cut off and thus force the
operators to negotiate for general
settlement of the wage question.
Martial Law In the Strike Region.
Martial law has to all intents and
and purposes been declared in Plum,
Patton and Wilkins townships, Allie
gheny county, Pa, by Sheriff Lowry.
The three mines of the New York &
Cleveland Gas Coal Co. are in these
townships, and all roads leading TO
them will be patroled by his deputies.
Persons walking or driving along the
roads who cannot give satisfactory
account of himself or herself, will be
ordered to leave the eighborhood,
and upon refusal will be arrested.
10000 Workers Out of Employment.
Judge jackson, of Wheeling, w. Va,
has given a new construction to his in
junction against the strikers in the
Fairmont region and in the Loup Creek
valley which makes it mandatory upon
the strikers to discontinue all marches,
the marching being considered form
of intimidation. In Wheeling there is
u serious coal famine, 500 families be-
ing without fuel Factories are closed
and 200 men are thrown out of en-
ployment.
The mills of the Gerry Lumber Co.,
together with 10, 900. 900 feet of lumber.
were destroyed by fire at Eagle River,