The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11
BIG CITIES SHORT ON COAL
CHICAGO WATER SUPPLY AND
CLEVELAND LIGHTS IN DANGER.
Indiana Miners Send Petition to Gov.
MOunt-State Boards of Arbi-
tratiOn to Meet

| iltIl " secure the SuEnIeSJ advantage. NO
| openly aggressive work was done to-day by
! either side, but the miners officials held a
| secret meeting. at which it is believed a
vigorous campaign against the New York
and Cleveland gas coal miners to be in
! augurated tomorrow was decided upon
| The operators apparently are doing little,
| and are saying less. However, their con-
| tdence in defeating the miners has not
| abated in the least The expected trouble
on the Wheeling division of the Baltimore
& Ohio did not come to the surface to-day
| The miners were paid off as announced,
| but no trouble whatever followed.
The effect of the strike is being manifest
| ed in the price of coal. An increase of 50
cents a ton was shown when application
was made for contracts and a number of
Pittsburg operators, not being able to work
| their miners, are seeking to buy coal in the
| West Virginia field in order to reap the ad-
| vantage of the advance. There has been no
| intimation of lawlessness as yet in this
region but Sheriff Lowrey, of Allegheny
county. has anticipated any trouble by
| swearing in five hundred deputies who are
| in readiness for the field at a moment S
| notice. At this time such precaution seems
! like overzealousness. The miners say there
will be no overt acts committed during the
| strike and all proceedings will be strictly
| within the law.
President Ratchford left the city quietly
| tonight, but will return in time to accom-
| pany the men in their demonstration
| against the New York and Cleveland Com
| pany's miners. Before leaving Mr.. Ratch-
ford prepared statement for the press
| giving a history of the strike as viewed
| from the miners standpoint. Ratchford
| left for his home at NIassillon this evening.
In a statement issued before his departure
he said in relation to the prospects of
| bringing out the miners of the West Vir-
ginia district where coal is being supplied
that they would first exhaust all honorable
means they, as miners, have at hand and
which have been so graciously offered to
| them by the representatives of other trades
/ unions.
| Il expect" said he, ''to go into the West
! Virginia field within the next few days,
and with the organizers 1 have been prom
ised, havS every reason to believe we will
be succes6- -ul''
Much is expected from the meeting of
the Union Labor League tomorrow night
| Ways and means for raising funds to as
sist the strikers will be devised. The meet
| ing at Plain Greek which was scheduled
| for tomorrow was abandoned al a con-
| ference held late tonight. 1t was found
that it would be an inopportune time, as
| the officials are very tired. 1t is probable
| that a meeting will be arranged for some
| evening next week.
| protracted meeting of the district ex-
| ecutive board of the United Mine Workers
was held at the district headquarters this
| afternoon. Those present included PreSi-
| dent Dolan, Secretary Warner and six men
| elected from the ranks The sole object of
! the meeting, it was said, was to devise
| plans to get Dearmit'S men to lay down
! their picks 1t was decided to take ag
| crTsaS ci a wi q CIV of
| making the suspension total in this district
| if possible by Monday or Tuesday of next
| week.
| Arrangements were made for holding a
| mass meeting with brass band accessories
in the vicinity of the Plum creek mines
| tomorrow. The officials have their eyes on
| the coke region, and are considering plans
| to get the miners out If an attempt is made
| to ship coal from the ConnellsVille region
| to Western or lake points. large coke
| operator is reported to have told a coal
| operator that his ovens were only using
| had been offered $3.50 for his coal, and
would run his mines for the Western ship
ment if he could get $3.50.
| Reports regarding the mining situation
| in the Monongahela valley have been mis-
| leading to a great extent. A dispatch from
| Mononga hela City this evening says no un-
| usual demonstration has taken place in that
! district as yet Work has been suspended
| at nearly every mine, throwing at least
seventy-tiVe mines idle, aHectlng an aver
| age of $50 men in each mine. No serious
| trouble as yet is anticipated, there being no
! intense feeling expressed more than
| strong determination to stay out until the
| demand is granted. 1t is understood that a
| strenuous effort will be made to bring out
! the small number of men now at work. But
! if this cannot be accomplished otherwise
| the men are worked up to such degree of
| agitation that means OF violence may be re-
| sorted to.
The miners in the Wheeling division were
! paid to-day for the two weeks ending July
| /, and, contrary to expectations, there was
| no disorder at any of the company offices
| Nearly $4,000 is said to have been paid at
| the various mines between the Monongahela
| river and Venetia. The men made their
| visit to the cashier in a quiet and Un-
| demonstrative manner. Finleyville which
| is practically the center of the mines in
| village on Sunday all day. The two saloons
| in the place did not do land-office bust
| ness, as had been predicted, for the reason
| that the men had little no money to
spend as store and rent expenses counter
balanced the accounts. The practice OF de-
Quoting rent and store bills was followed to
a large extent at the company offices. In
all of such cases the two days pay due for
the month of July was simply added TO the
account, so that the men Will receive no
more money, although technically they will
get another pay day. At the majority of
the mines it was said the men Will be re-
quired to pay their month s rent In ad-
vance and wherever this is impossible they
will be required to yacate the company
house The miners along the Wheeling
division are in a fairly prosperous condi-
tion, Notwithstanding stories of deStitution.
Many of them have their own gardens, the
/
and those occupied by the Engish-speak-
ing element have an especial air of re-
spectability.
Many OF the men have had no work for
| eight months" said one of them yesterday
and for them it will be comparatively
easy to continue the strike indefinitely" ="
! The men all affirm that they will not touch
a pick or shovel until President Ratchford
/ sanctions their return to work. They have
| good-naturedly prepared themselves for a
! long struggle, and claim they ready TO
/ stand out till the 69-cent rate is conceded.
/ There are over $500 men scattered along
/ the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in this re-
| gion. Every man Of them is idle because
/ of the suspension.
A canvass of operators was made this
| afternoon on the arbitration suggestion
| made by the labor leaders in the confer
/ ence yesterday. With the exception Of Col
Rend. not an operator who was seen fa-
! vored arbitration at this time. One OF the
| prominent operators said: II cannot see
| what could be accomplished by a confqr-
/ ence on the arbitration question This
strike has not far enough advanced for
| such a move II has caused a little scare
but with the mines running in Southern
| fields. there will be no difficulty in supply
/ Ing the market
! There was furry in the coal market to-