New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-09
STRIKERS FEEL ELATED.
GENERAL TURNOUT ON THE WHEELING
DIVISION OF THE B. AND o.

EVEN MEN WHO WILL. HAVE TO FORFEIT 10 PER
CENT OF WHAT THEY HAVE EARNED
SINCE JANUARY 1 HAVE QUIT.
Pttsburg, July SIT is safe to say that the
amount Of coal dug to-day on the Wheeling d.
vision of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad would
not All one hatcar. Such complete shutdown
as exists in this district soon after the be-
ginning Of the strike Is admitted to be sur
prise to the people. A number of miners were at
work yesterday the majority of them in the pits
Of the Pittsburg and Chicago Gas Coal Company
at Snowden and Gastonve. but to-day it is
doubtful II the diggers at work along the wnoe
line would number fifty all Of them being at the
Gastonvile pit Of the Pittsburg and Chicago
Company.
All the mines above Finleyvllle-the Anderson.
Germania Hackett, Eclipse and Nottingham
are completely tied up. Five cars were loaded
at the Germania yesterday but it was with coal
which had been living on the dump since work
was suspended last Friday. The Coal BLUM
mine Of the ]. NJ. Risker Company. employing
40 men, was entirely idle to-day. The big First
Pool mines of the Robbins Company were also
closed There was doubt to whether or not
the Savs would return to work after their hol-
dav on Tuesday but this has been dispelled and
the foreigners seem as enthusiastic as any on
the strike question.
Miners along the line have been anxously
watching the diggers Of the Pittsburg and chi
cago Company at Gastonvie. These men nave
all been working under the ironclad agreement,
and as this meant a forfeiture of I'D per cent OF
their wages, held back since the first OF the
year by the firm. II they voluntarily quit work.
the strikers in doubt as to whether they
could be induced to join the movement AT
meeting held last night. however, 1t was de-
cided to come out for the district rate. and to-
day the miners were practically idle. BY their
actiop It Is said the men will lose nearly SS.oo
the miners leaders were elated over their sue
cess on the Wheeling Division. 1t is reported
that the officials on this division have advertised
for men to fill the places OF the strikers If
this is true and an attempt is made to resume
work with non-union men. it is feared there
will be serious trouble.
About one-third Of the full quota of diggers
were at work at the Pan Handle mines Of NJ. A.
Hanna & Co. This Is an increase over yester-
day, and Is due the fact that the firm posted
a notice TO the effect that II the men did not
return 20 work to-day the money due them
under their ironclad contracts would be retained.
The amount. it is said. aggregates S4.VU. In
the First Pool the men who under con-
tract came out
The local mining officials. flushed with vic
tory, preparing to make move against
the mines OF the New-York and Cleveland Gas
Coal Company. They express confidence in their
ability to bring these men out before the end OF
the week and then the suspension in this dis
trict will be complete Then the strike extern
sion work will proceed eastward. The mines
! shipping to the seaboard Will be attacked First.
/ Will come a movement against the mines Of the
! West MOreand Gas Coal Company and the
Penn Gas Coal COMPANY and thence the officials
Will direct their attention to the Central Penn
syvania fields. Emissares Of the United Mine
Workers OF America have been in the latter
/ fields for a week.
/ From hints dropped by the miners officials it
is not improbable that a successful elimination
Of the strike In the soft coal fields Will result
/ in the assignment OF strike emissaries to the
anthracite region. The output OF that district
| Is restricted to stated amount by agreement
| entered into between members or the operators
! organization. The miners officials think this
agreement will be broken and that an effort Will
! be made among the anthracite producers to
supply in part the need OF coal among the bi-
luminous consumers An intimation OF m
! creased output Of the anthracite mines will be
| likely to result in an immediate strike in those
! fields.
! Coll operators dispute the assertions Of the
! miners officials as to the situation the Mo-
! nongahela River. There are probably six thou
! sand or seven thousand idle river miners said
one. but they cannot he called strikers. as the
majority Of them have not had work for several
weeks There are now at least fifteen million
bushels OF coal loaded in the harbor, and In the
pools and il Is not likely that any OF II can be
! sent to the Southern markets before fall Be
fore the last general suspension there was a
rise in the river and every pound OF coal went
out. There be coal famine In the home
markets, with this large supply on hand Most
Of this coal car be loaded in cars II the strike Is
prolonged and used for the lake trade"