Birmingham state herald., 1897-07-09
THE SITUATION
Among the Miners in Pennsylvania and Ohio Remains Unchanged-Rss suit
 of the Local Meeting.

Pittsburg, July S.-The c'ose of the third day of the miners strike finds the diggers gaining strength rapidly in the Pittsburg district, elating the officials and msn correspondingly. The net result of the struggle upto date, as gleaned from unbiased as well as from partisan sources is about as follows:
 Nineteen thousand men idle, an almost total suspension of work in the mines along the Monongahela river, suspension practically total on the Wheeling division of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, only about fifty men working there; all of the railroad mines closed down with the ex- ception of M. A. Hanna & Co.'s mines along the Panhandle, the New York ard Cleveland Gas Coal company and few individual mines which can have but Nit tie effect on the situation.
 The Hanna mines have about one-third of their usual number of men at work, and this slight increase over yesterday appears to be the only advantage the operators have gained. The coming out of the men along the Baltimore and Ono , is a decided victory for the miners be- cause these men were working under an ironclad agreement and by their loy- alty to their brethren forfeit $S,000 in wages which the company holds out. Tie situation as to the supply of coal cannot be called serious as yet because thsre are from 12 to IS millions of bushels of the black diamonds in stock at the va rious pools along the river which can be placed in this city at short notice, and if need be, a portion of 1t could be shipped to the lakes. tsl-
 Up to the present time no sign of un- lawfulness has developed among the strikers and no evidence whatever that Inc In ho a day of decided action on the part of the miners. It is reported that a meeting has been scheduled between President Rachford of the Mine Workers associa- ton and President Gompars of the Fed eratfon of Labor, in the city, and the miners say that systematic movement twill be starred to bring out the diggers now at work for the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal company.
 The mes ting between Ratchford ana iGompers will be an important one. as plans for carrying on the strike to ulti- ma te success are to be discussed. It is claimed that one of the principal topics will be a scheme TO raise funds from which,iti propossd to pay all the miners who are not working full time, in order 10 induce them ito make the tie up complete. It is, said that President Gompers will offer to T-a ise fund of $60,000 per wesk ato assist she strikers in their struggle. gs The miners, officials are likely to meet with, a, a,serious stumbling block in their effprts to induce the miners of the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal compan to join in the movement, notwithstanding their, confident assertions that these. men will be out before Sunday night next A visit to the mnrs today disclosed the fact that a large number of the men arg op- posed to striking at this time because of 'rheir contract agreement. The officials of the company say the men have given positive assurances that they will remain loyal. and are in no wise alarmed over the claim of the miners leaders that they will have the men out before the week closes. tte'