The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-28
The HEADS OF LABOR CONFER
An Immense Gathering Yesterday at
Wheeling, West Virginia.
CONSIDERING The Big COAL STRIKE.
The Conference Decided to Hold >y"p'
thetic Ma.s-Meetiugs All Over the
Country August 5ih. and Oomp,rs
Was Appointed to Arrange ihem'

| largest gathering Of the helds o. Iauoi
organizations OF America ever heid l7
now in session IN this city. IL ia thc
/ conference OF labor leaders called last
week by President NJ ID. Ratchford' OF
! the United Mine workers ANA approNei
by President G0mpers ot the American
Faction OF Labor of which the miners
I organization is part The purpose or
the conference H. to aid in speedy ana
successful termination OF the great coal
strike. Sessions OF the conference were
/ held durllg the day and the night. but
until The night session little had been ace
complshod The following labor leaders
aro present.
LABOR LEADERS PRESENT,
Samuel Gompers OF New York Presi-
/ dent of tho American Federation OF
! Labor. Frank Morrison Chicago, Secre-
/ tary of the Federation. NJ. ID. Ratchtord
! Columbus. President Of the United Mine
| Workers OF America. W. g. Pears. Column
/ bus Secretary of the Miners Organiza-
| tlon; l.. IA. Morrlasey Peoria, ILL.,. Grand
| Master OF the brotherhood OF Railway
| Tminmen. W. j.. MahOn, Detroit. Presi-
/ dent Of the Street Railway Union; ). X.
Sovereign President OF tho Knights or
/ Labor. James ~. Sullivan Baltimore
/ President of the international Association
/ OF Decorators and Painters; j. b. Lennon.
I
i tom TallOrs Union j. r. Mulholland
/ Toledo. President OF the International
Union OF Bicycle Workers. Jesse Johnson,
/ Nashville, President OF the international
/ Printing Pressmens' Union. Theodore
/ Perry Nashville, President of the Inter-
national Typographical Union; Robert
! Askew, lshpeming Mich, Secretary Of
/ the National Mineral Works. Wsllam
/ Mckinney Lafayette, Ind, President Of
! the Painters Union; J. ". Rea, Chicago,
| President of the Painters and DecOra-
tors Union; G.. vs.. Perkins. Chicago
/ President International Tobacco Work
/ ers' Union, Patrick Dolan Pittsburg,
! President Of the Pittsburg District Min
! ers. NJ NJ. Graland, Pittsburg. President
/ Of the Amalgamated Association Of Iron,
| steel. and Tin Workers. G.. H. wilkins,
| Chicago Assistant Grand Chief Of the
/ order of Railway Conductors; T.. J.. Sar-
/ gent. Peoria. His. Grand Master Of the
/ Brotherhood OF Railway Flremen; Val
/ Fitzpatrick Columbus. Third Nive-Presi-
dent of the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men; y. l.. Lewis. Bridgeport o.. Secre-
! tary OF the Ohio Miners Organization,
T. " Debs. Chicago, former head of the
American Railway Union; j. Kunzeler.
/ Pittsburg, Secretary OF the American
| Flint Glass Workers Union; w. II. Riley,
/ Wheeling. President OF the National Sto-
/ gle Workers League: NJ. T. Carrick.
/ Pittsbur. Secretary of the Painters or
/ ganization: L. j. Counaghan. Pittsburg,
| Secretary and Treasurer Of the National
/ Plumbers and Gas Filters Union.
GOAIPERS PRESIDING.
The first session of the conference was
| held an ! o'clock on the arrival Of Mossrs
Ratchford and Pears from Columbus on
motion Of Mr.. Sovereign. Samuel Gompers
was chosen to preside and Secretary Nor
rson also Of the Federation was made
| secretary.
Chairman Gompers then called upon the
miners representative 10 detail the situa-
/ tion They were also asked ID suggest in
| what manner the other laboring Organiza-
| tions could give their aid.
President Ratchford. OF the miners. adj
! dressed the conference at some length
| stating fully the causes that had led TO
! the suspension OF work in the bituminOus
| regions and presented the conditions OF
/ the miners. who are taking part I'm the
/ strike
He did not propose anything in the way
| Of recommendations as to what the or
| ganized labor Of the country should do in
aid Of the strike. prefering that important
subject TO be Left 20 the coslderation Of
the conference. An appeal for aid was
made I'm a general way.
! W. G. Pears. Patrick Dolan and II. +.
| Lewis also addressed the conference
! speaking I'm the same strain. In the
! course Of their remarks IL was brought
out that the miners believe that the hard
/ est fight should be made al the works OF
/ the Cleveland and P,tsburg Coal Com
| pany CDearmitt's nnes). IN the Pittsburg
/ district This was considered fully as
/ important a point as the West Virginia
d Haf.
/ taken for dinner
A COMMITTEE APPOINTED.
Upon rcassembling at 2:3O o'clock tho
conference again took mp the strike Ques-
tion. Messrs. Mcmahon, Rcl, and Dcbs
who have been at work in the Fairmont
/ district. Mr.. Askew, who IS fresh from
| tho Norfolk and Western territory and
/ Mr.. Sovereign addressed the meeting. the
| latter speaking at some length. The
/ conference war bella behind closed doors.
At its conclusion It was given ont that
n committee OF five had been appointed
! 10 devise a plan for aiding the miners
which would be reported al the night ses-
sion
kilograms plsdglng financial aid for
the miners. were received from nearly all
| the heads Of organizations that had been
| unable 10 attend. on account Of the short
I notice Mr. Morrison says that the chief
aim OF the conference will be 10 effect
a suspension Of work I'm West Virginia
and at the Dermltt Mines. The confer
ence has not vet come 10 the point Of be-
lieying II necessary 10 ask the iremen.
conductors and hrakemen TO refuse 10
haul West Virginia coal.
SYMPATHETIC MEETINGS.
The conference adjourned just as the
/ Capitol clock struck the midnight hour.
/ having been in session since 2 o'clock.
| IL was decided that President Gompers
| should act as a committee Of one I'm ar
! ranging for sympathetic mass-meetings
/ All over the country on August 9Th.
Oficers Of the American Federation OF
Labor were requested TO communicate 20
| the Union organizations as to what shall
be done 10 further the plan outlined In
to-night's appeal.
Officers OF the United Mine Workers
| ara 10 arrange for the systematic work
of one hundred labor organizers I'm West
| Virginia. I'm which State and Pennsyl-
vania renewed efforts 10 make the strike
general will be made. The railway broth
erhoods except the engineers, are In
hearty sympathy with the movement 10
make the strike effective.
The speciil committee t. devise ways
and mean. 10 aid tie strikers made ITS
report. Tho report IS an appeal TO the
country to assist tho miners.