The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-08

Less than 5000 Men at Work-Views
of Oncrnfnrn md Miners

Less than 5000 Men at WorI-VieHs
of Operators and Miners.
PITTSBURG, Pa, July lightweight
hours after the Inauguration of the great
coal miners strike comparison of state
ments from both sides engaged in the con-
test show favorable results for the dig
gers. Discounting the miners official an
nouncement and the operators opinions,
there seems no question that the workmen
have scored a decided advantage in this
district and it Is believed that as the Pitts
burg district goes, so goes the country.
Conservative estimates place the number
OF miners now striking in this district from
sixteen to eighteen thousand men, an in
crease of about five thousand over yester-
days record. This leaves but from three
to five thousand men still working.
The key to the entire situation from pres
sent appearances lies in the success or de-
feat of the strikers in securing the CO.
operation Of the men now working for the
New York & Cleveland Gas Coal Company.
Without these men the strike can hardly
succeed, because they Will be able, in a
measure, to supply the demand long enough
TO tide over the present embarrassment.
Patrick Dolan, president of the Pittsburg
district miners. is confident that before the
present week closes he will have succeeded
In getting all of these men TO join the
ranks OF the strikers and when this result
Is effected the battle will be practically
won.
The operators are as confident of success
as the miners and to-day issued a state
ment claiming a large accession of men in
different parts of the district and Il heavier
shipping list than usual. One thing slight
~ in favor of the opera tors is the freeing of
navigation in the Monongahela river, which
went into effect to-day. Ten million
bushels Of coal which have been stocked
aN unit inc hi
will be brought to this harbor al once and
be available for the present demand.
Notwithstanding the advantages claimed
Tor the operators the consensus of opinion
appears to be in favor of the miners, in
nsmuch as the operators can only hope
Tor temporary relief with their present
facilities, and the miners officials seem to
be in fair way to effectually cripple even
these by constantly adding to their number
from the ranks of those remaining at work.
When the miners headquarters were
visited this evening the officials were in
high glee over the result accomplished to-
Gay. From all reports | have received,
said President Dolan, there are no more
than three thousand miners at work In
the Plttsburg district to-day. From relia-
BILE lieutenants in the field reports received
say that more than 50 per cent. of the
aggregate number of the men in the dis
higher wages. The best news received was
that the men working under contract at the
panhandle mines of M. A. Hanna & Co.,
hdd quit work and also that RObbins's
tlrSt pool mines were idle and coal was
loaded at the mines of the PittSburg and
Chicago Gas Coal Company at Snowden
and GaStonville. The strike is a greater
success than tho one of 1894. All the men
in the Monongahela valley. the Panhandle.
the main line of the Baltimore & Ohio and
out along the Wheeling division have quit
work. The total number will approximate
eighteen thousand. If we can get the men
at the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal
Company out we can settle this fight with
in week. and l believe we can do it,
Leading operators in the district profess
20 re ont Ffi Il xrfnv tlar
situation. They admit that the miners
have succeeded in getting more men to
strike than they expected, but say they
are not worrying over the outlook and that
the strike will not last a week. None of
them are pressed for coal. and have offers
from operators whose miners have not
Joined in the movement to help them out
Ex-senator Camden, of West Virginia, has
plenty of coal, and IS now trying to lease
cars to take it to the market. Pittsburg
operators whose miners are idle have re-
quests for their individual cars. One opera
tor sent one hundred cars to West Vir-
ginia yesterday. The strike has already
benefited the West Virginia operators and
If 1t continues for few weeks they will
be enabled to dispose of a large quantity
of coal at good prices
This evening the operators in the Pitts
burg district issued the following brief
summary of the situation from their stand
point: THE Youghiogheny slope mine was
loading coal all day and calling urgently
upon the Baltimore q Ohio Railroad for
more cars The Port Royal started up
again to-day and the Wickhaven was run
ming full The Panhandle, West Newton
and Beading mines had more men at work
than yesterday and loaded more cars. The
Pittshurg & Chicago loaded nearly their
full output. The Pittsburg e. Lake Erie
Railroad moved 245 cars, which is over %
per cent of their normal loading. The
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, act
ing under its legal right to-day confiscated
a number of cars of coal which had been
shipped by Henry FloeTsheim TO the United
States engineer for Davis island and Herr
island dams. The coal is badly needed by
the government and also by the railroad
company The United States engineer Of
Ohio if it would release half of the coal.
If the offer is not accepted the question
will be submitted to the United States dis
trict attorney to determine where the coal