The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-13

Pittsburg, July l0-The week closes
with the forces engaged in the miners
!, strike as determined as ever and on the
alert TO secure the slightest advantage.
No openly aggressive work was done
today by either side. but the miners
officials held a secret meeting at which
II is believed a vigorous campaign
against the New York and Cleveland
Gas Coal miners TO be inaugurated to-
morrow was decided upon. The oper-
ators, 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 Wheel
ing division OF the Baltimore and Ohio
did not come to the surface today. 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 in
crease of so cents a ton was shown to-
day when application was made for
contracts, and a number of Pittsburg
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. There
has been no intimation OF lawlesSness
as yet in this region, but Sheriff Low
ry, of Allegheny county, has anticipat-
ed any trouble by swearing in 500 dep
uties who are in readiness for the field
at a moments notice. AT this time
such precaution seems like overZealous-
ness. The miners say there will be no
outrages committed during the war and
all proceedings will be strictly within
the law.
President Ratchford left the city
quietly tonight, but Will return in time
to accompany the men in their demon
stration against the New York and
Cleveland Campaigns miners. Before
leaving Mr.. Ratchford prepared a
statement for the press giving a history
of the strike as viewed from the miners
standpoint.
Terre Haute, Ind, July i0.-The Paw
nee, Kelly and Westville companies Of
the Danville district today posted
notices of an increase of 10 cents a ton
in the wages for mining coal. The OBJ
ject of this is to keep their men at
work and thus break the back bone of
the strike. These three companies are
the largest in the Illinois territory and
upon the success of their move depends
much Of the success of the strike. Sec
/
which insure him that the men gener-
ally Will go out .<Rresident knight says
he believes th5t'there will not be a
mine in the Hymera region working by
this time next week.
Columbus, Ohio. July 10.-There will
be a conference in Pittsburg Monday
of the arbitration boards of Ohio In
diana and Illinois, to discuss measures
to bring about a settlement of the
m ri nv
rr Bushnell, of Ohio, is the leader of the
movement Governor Hastings, of
Pennsylvania, was asked to cooperate
and he wired that he vas willing, but
that he had not been invited to do so
by the representatives Of the strikers.
Governor Bushnell replied that neither
he nor the other governors had been
invited to act in the matter, but that
they intended to do what they could
to bring about arbitration.
Pitsburg, Pa, July 10.-Ratchford
left for his home al MassillOn this
evening. In a statement issued before
his depa ,ure he said in relation to the
prOSpe. Of bringing out the miners
of TT Vest Virginia 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 we
have before promised, l have every
reason to believe We will be successful.
Cleveland, July 1O.-The Crescent tin
plate mill, inv hich a strike is on, i'm
ported fifteen non-union workmen from
Pennsylvania. On their arrival at
1890 O'Clock p. m, they We're met at
the train by 80 strikers, who tried to
dissuade them from going to work.
Hot words followed and a few Of the
strikers lost their tempers. street
fight ensued, in which a dozen or more
strikers made it lively for the new COM
ers for a few minutes. A big street
crowd collected, but no one was badly
hurt.
Chicago, July 10.-Late this afternoon
several large coal dealers called upon
Mayor Harrison and informed him that
they were prepared to furnish sufficient
coal to keep the city running for three
months at least. This disposes Of the
famine as far as the city is concerned