The record-union., 1897-07-13

Sili1Ss wanna De nelQ III 1llISDuIS "
see if the miners and operators could
not be induced to submit their differ
ence to an arbitration combination, met
with prompt response from members
of the four commissions, and the con-
ference will be held here this afternoon.
Representatives are already here from
Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. The
Illinois delegation has not yet arrived.
but it is expected before the day is
over.
A preliminary meeting was held at
the Seventh-avenue Hotel in this city
at 10 o'clock this morning. Those pres
ent were Selwyn N. Owen, James Bish-
op and John Little of Ohio, T. p Nc
Cormack and B. Frankschmid of Indi-
ana and James NJ. Clark of the Penn
sylvania Bureau of Statistics.
In an interview to-day Judge Owen
said it was proposed to meet the miners
and operator officials and try and pro-
mote a speedy settlement
'Of course, you understand" said
Judge Owen, when we cross the State
line our authority is turned to ashes.
We have simply come to look over the
ground and see what can be DONE
I'VE have come here more as private
citizens than as officials" said General
Little. We have no jurisdiction here
and do not wish to assume any
A telegram was received from Ma
tional President NJ. D. Ratchford say
ing that the miners officials will be
unable to meet with the arbitrators un-
til tomorrow The Commissioners will
likely spend several days here in their
investigation. Just what their method
of procedure will be they do not them
selves know.
There is but little change in the sit
uation. All the mines in the Pittsburg
district are closed and not a pound of
coal is being mined except at the three
mines of the New York and Cleveland
Gas Coal Company. Heating & Co. s
miners returned to work at the 69-cent
rate, but sent a miner to headquarters
to inquire whether it was intended that
miners should remain out where the
advance had been granted. They were
told to lay down their tools until the
advance had been conceded at other
mines, and all will go out again to-
night. The miners at the Sickle HoI-
Coke Company came out to-day. These
mines We're the scene of a riot during
the strike of 1894, in which seven men
were killed.
District President Patrick Dolan of
the miners organization is confined at
his home by sickness. The proposed
meeting for the purpose of bringing out
the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal
Company's miners has been postponed
for few days.
During the week the Cleveland or
ganizers, labor orators and exhorters
will be at work in the West Virginia
fields with a view of spreading the
strike. Vice-President Carney of the
Amalgamated Association and Rev.
Winston Goff. who were appointed or
ganizers by the United Labor League,
left for West Virginia this morning and
six others whose names have not yet
been announced will follow tonight or
Tuesday The, Pittsburgs quota Of or
ganizers will be joined tomorrow in
West Virginia or the next day by those
from other parts of the United States.
There will be enough of them to thor
oughly cover the entire coal regions of
the State When they have finished
their work they will come to Pennsyl-
vania and the Georges district of Ma
ryland They will work among the
miners of the New York and Cleveland
Gas Coal Company and the West Clear
field regions, if the strike is not settled
before that time.
Whatever success they may have in
i,,ia i
and Westmoreland fields. the officials
Of the United Mine Workers, according
to present indications, will have hard
work in persuading the employees in
the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal
Company's mine to strike The Off
Gals are handicapped by the court 5
injunction restraining them from going
on the company's property. But this
difficulty is overshadowed by the
aphathy from the miners themselves.
A visit to the mines developed the
prevalence of a willingness to strike.
provided the Mine Workers Union
guarantees them their wages for the
time they are out.
The feeling among the miners is ex-
emplified in the failure to hold the
much-advertised meeting at Beulah
Church yesterday afternoon. At the
Plum Creek, Sandy Greek and the
Turtle Creek pits none of the diggers
know anything of the proposed meet
ing Many of the miners said they
would not strike under any circum-
stances. They have grievances, but
some of them say they were thrown
down when they struck three years
ago.
superintendent Thomas de CAN'T
visited the different pits yesterday. and
kept on the lookout for meeting. 1t
was freely stated that any miner caught
attending a meeting or found talking
with any of the labor leaders woud be
instantly discharged. The three mines
of the company put out 1900 tons of
coal per day The coal is shipped to
Pittsburg and points west. The com
pany is trying to take care of all the
orders it can get, attempting to buy
coal from neighboring mines which are
located on the eastern edge outside of
the Pittsburg District.
The Clearfield bituminous coal dis
trict and what is known as the mount
ain coal field, along the line of the
Pennsylvania Railroad between Johns
town and Altoona. began receiving or
ders to-day from the dealers of the
Pittsburg District
The action of the United Mine Work
ers' officials in deciding to make West
Virginia the battle-ground of the strike
has caused alarm among the local ship
/ pers. Consequently they will place
emergency orders at good round figures
with the operators in the Clearfield and
mountain regions. in case the striking
miners are successful in effecting a
total Suspension of coal production in