The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-18
II, VIRGINIA MINERS
Hold the Key to the Situation
on the Strike.
THE OPERATORS WORRIED
MINERS DISCHARGED FOR AT
TENDING A PUBLIC MEETING.
B. & 0. MOVING QUANTITIES OF COAL
Efforts to Arbitrate Difference Make But Little
Progress. End of the Strike Cannot Yet be
Seen. Grand Master Knights of Labor
Working With the Miners.
Working With the Miners.


Pittsburg, Pa, July 17.-District min
ing officials have come to a realization
of the gravity of the coal miners strike
situation as far as the shipments of coal
from the district just east of Pittsburg
and the Clearfeld- Cambria field are
concerned. They have awakened to the
fact that coal from these producing CEN
tiers is playing havoc with the cutting
off of the supply for the Pittsburg trade,
thus initiating against the success of
the strike.
An important meeting of the executive
board and the district officials was held
this afternoon. Cameron Miller, the ma
tional organizer was present and the sit
uation discussed in detail. 1t is now pro-
posed to send organizers into the districts
and if possible, induce the men to come
out in sympathy. 1t is not expected to
bring every miner in these sections out.
Miners that furnish coal for the Sea-
board will not be molested. 1t is pro-
posed to hold a number of mass meetings
during the next weeks.
An important message from West Vir-
ginia was received at miners hnadquar-
tiers during the afternoon. 1t came from
a prominent State officials and states
that the situation has taken a change
with the indications strongly in favor of
the miners coming out. The miners Off
Gals believe that the West Virginia
miners will be out Monday morning
There was very little doing in the local
coal market to-day. There was no
change in the price, plenty of the output
being offered at $1.25, the same price as
the day previous.
The miners are still holding firm with
no sign of a break at any point. A large
number of meetings will be held to-mor-
row to give encouragement to the men,
Arbitration Commissioner Schmidt,
who is the only one of the commission
in the city tonight, received a telegram
from Commissioner OF Labor Barton, of
West Virginia, announcing that the sit
uation in that State was entirely changed
and that he expects the miners there to
strike.
Fairmont, w. Va, July Ito the
close observer Of the mining situation in
this region, a peculiar state of affairs
is preseHted. Operators who were
elated a few days ago are now worried
over the increase in freight of 45 cents
ton. All the operators are on the
"qui vive" lest the men be influenced
by the agitators to come out. Senator
Camden, who, three days ago thought
it very unlikely that the men would
join the strikers, said to-day that he was
prepared for anything. The mass meet
ing so largely advertised for this evening
was a complete failure, as none of the
speakers were present, although tele-
grams of regret were read. Eugene v.
Debs will be here sure Monday and will
address the miners at the court house.
To-day seventeen miners at Monongah,
were discharged for attending Thursday
nights meeting. These men are using
every means in their power to induce the
other miners to strike as sort of re-
yenge. The company claim they will
bring trespass suits, and w. 3. Meredith,
the leading lawyer OF the second Con-
gressional district together with S. n.
Arnett and J. p. Kirby, have been re-
tanned as counsel, il all reports are true.
The Baltimore and Ohio has broken
all records in the matter of moving COAL
Passenger trains were side-tracked to-day
to allow coal trains to proceed west.
Everything is quiet on the Parkersburg
branch Of the b. and o., and all mines
are running full blast but one.
Petersburg, w. Va, July 1.-THE
Citizens Coal Company here, controlled
by the stockholders of the Monongah
Coal Company, are laying in hundreds OF
cars of coal at their yards for the first
time in their history. This is taken as
an indication as they expect their miners
to strike.
Charleston, w. Va, July 1.-THE agi-
tators Of the strike in the Kanawha Val
ley received set back to-day. They
visited two places, Manarch and Cedar
Grove, to organize the miners, but failed
to do anything at either place. The OPP
orators at some of the mines offered
further increase of one fourth of a cent
per bushel, making three fourths of a
cent advance in all, or about 81 cents
per ton.
Buefeld, w. ", July 1.-THE miners
at Elkhorm and Shamokin, in the Poca-
hontas coal field, went out yesterday, but
some of them went back to work today.
There has been no trouble at any of the
other colleries. Grand Master Workman
Sovereign, of the knights of Labor, ar
rived at keystone today to aid in getting
the men out.
Huntington, w. Va, July 17.-$This
afternoon upwards of 5000 men en-
ployed in the lower coal fields on the
Norfolk and Western road threw down
their picks and swore fealty TO the
cause of their Pennsylvania and Ohio
brethren. The strike in that section to-