The true northerner., 1897-07-14
COAL GOES UP.
Zig Advance In Price as a Result
of the Strike.
Bids Fair tn BECOME One Of the
Greatest Wage Contests I'm His
tory-Enorts Being Made tn se-
cure an AmicnbIe settlement.


closed with the forces engaged in the
miners strike determined as ever ano
on the alert TO secure the slightest adj
vantage. No openly aggressive work
was done Saturday by either side. but
the miners officials held u secret meet
ing at which it is believed a vigorous
campaign against the New York and
Cleveland gas coal miners TO be inaugu'
rated ut once was decided upon. The
operators apparently are doing little
and are saying less. However, their con-
fidence in defeating the miners has not
abated in the least. The expected
trouble in the Wheeling division of the
Baltimore & Ohio did not come to the
surface Saturday. The miners were
, paid off as announced. but no trouble
whatever followed.
The effect of the strike is being man
ifested in the price of coal. An increase
of 50 cents q ton was shown Saturday
when application was made for con-
tracts, and number of Pittsburgh
operators, not being able to work their
own miners are seeking to buy coal in
the West Virginia field in order TO reap
the advantage of the advance.
Sunday marked the beginning of the
second week of the strike, and it gives
promise of being one of the greatest
wage struggles in the history of this
country. The success that has attended
the movement has greatly elated the
every effort will be made TO bring out
the men in the few mines that are still
working. This will be difficult task,
but they express confidence in their
ability to make the suspension complete
before the week is as hours old.
Just now the greatest obstacle in the
way of success of the miner is the ac-
tivity of the diggers in the West Vir-
ginia fields. They ure working night
and day, and are getting ready to sup
ply all the coal that is needed. They
are repeating what they did three years
ago, when a general suspension was
declared. At that time there were n
number of operators in the Mountain
state that were on the verge of bank
ruptcy. The general suspension was
declared, and there came n great de-
mand for coal, at prices that insured a
big profit. The operators rallied around
them a large number of men, whose
friendship and support they have en-
couraged ever since. The operators
profited by thousands and thousands of
dollars. When the season had finished
and the strike was declared failure,
they balanced their books and found
things on the proper side of their ledg-
ers. They realized that they owed
much of their profit to their miners,
and rewarded them for it. On every
succeeding pay day the faithful miners
were paid bonuses in the shape of gold
pieces, and naturally the best of feeling
prevails among the employers and en-
ployes.
This is the condition of affairs the or
ganiZers that will GO into the West Nir-
ginia district this week will have to
encounter. 1t is argued by the miners
that there are more men out in that
section than there were three years
ago, and they express the greatest con-
fidence in bringing them out if they
can get their ears. This failing, the
railroad organizations will be appealed
TO. This plan of campaign has been
outlined by the national officers and the
developments of the week will be
watched with interest.
There are a number of operators in
the Pittsburgh district who have en-
pressed a willingness 10 pay the price
demanded. But the miners have said
nay They will insist that majority of
the operators in the district pay the
60-cent rate or none. This is the ulti-
matum of the national officials, from
which there is no appeal. 1t is known
that some of the miners officials would
be glad TO let all the operators paying
the 69-cent rate operate their mines.
but cannot. owing TO the decision of the
national officers, who desire TO have all
the surplus coal taken from the market
The new features in the situation
Sunday were the arrival of the Ohio
and Indiana state board of arbitration.
the meeting at night of the United
Labor League Of Western Pennsylvania
ahd the report that n movement was on
fakt to import new men TO take the
pihces of the strikers at the Pittsburgh
and Chicago company's mines.
Terre Haute, Ind. July l2.-The
Pawnee, Kelly and Westville companies
of the Danville district have posted
notices of an increase of ten cents ton
in the wages for mining coal. The OBJ
ject of this is to keep their men at work
and thus break the back of the strike.
These three companies are the largest
in the Illinois territory. and upon the
success of their movement depends
much on the outcome of the strike, at
least as regards that state.
Springfield, ILL.,, July 12.-This morn
iRS1 goo miners who have been work.
ing' IN the Springfield mines will re-
fuse to return TO work. This action was
decided upon Sunday afternoon at "a
delegate meeting held three miles from
the city, attended by over 100 delegates
and 500 other mine workers. Only three
mines in the district were not repre-
sented.
Drawing on Cincinnati for Coal.
Cincinnati, July 12.-There are TO-
OOO. 900 bushels of coal i'm Cincinnati
harbor. Other cities are drawing on il
q