The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-14

POVERTY STRICKEN IN INDIANA
GOV. MOUNT WILL SEND A COMMIT.
TEE OF INQUIRY TO FONTANET.
Public sympathy May Start n Relief
Fund-First Riot and BIoOdshed
in DanviIIe District.

PITTSBURG, Pa, July 13.-There is a
bare possibility that the joint arbitration
| conference may yet lead to the termination
of the miners strike on the basis of the
true uniformity agreement proposed by
President De Armitt, of the New York and
| Cleveland Gas Company, last year, but
which failed for the reason that the 81 per
| cent. of the operators in this district re-
| quired by De Armitt could not be secured
| Two sessions of the arbitration board were
| held to-day, representatives from the States
! of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia Indi-
ana and Illinois being present. At the after
noon session Mr.. De Armitt appeared before
| the board and told of the conditions which
| exist from his point of view. He recited
| the history of the miners struggles for bet
| ter conditions. He told of the great uni
formity movement in 1886, which failed
! of its purpose. Mr. De Armitt said:
IF the operators of the Pittsburg district
will abolish their company stores, use uni
form screens, give honest weight, two
thousand pounds to the ton, pay cash every
two weeks, l will leave It to any committee
to settle the price of mining and pay it, no
matter how high providing all my competi-
ditions can be brought about 1 will not
agree to abolish the contract with my men,
nor can l afford to do so.'
| Mr.. De Armitt pointed to the fact that his
men were working to-day when almost ev-
| cry other mine in the district was idle. He
said that he fully intended to pay his men
the district price whenever the other op-
orators will meet his terms. If true uni
formity were secured here, however, it
would so involve the interests of TIE other
bituminous States, he said, that ultimately
there would have to be a change of uni
| formity agreements in all the States, which
would cost much money and require con-
siderable time to accomplish. He prom
| Used the board all assistance in his power in
securing d settlement on the basis proposed,
but said under no consideration would he
treat with the United Mine Workers.
President Dolan and Secretary Warner,
of the Mine Workers Association, were
before the commission in the evening and
recited their grievance. They disputed
much that Mr.. De Amitt had said and
questioned his sincerity at this time. They
claimed that when 80 per cent. of the oper-
ators had been secured for uniformity, De
Armit agreed to it, but later he found a
technical loophole and availed himself of
it to repudiate his original proposition
The board will meet De Armitt again to-
morrow and will endeavor to get the opera
tors together for the purpose of inducing
them to make another attempt to secure
true uniformity as outlined by the former
at to-day's conference.
National President NJ. D. Rachford. of
the United Mine Workers, is expected in
Pittsburg tonight or tomorrow and will
ri
Patrick Dolan came from his home in Cecil
to-day, where he has been sick for several
days. He said the strike, as far as the
miners are concerned, is progressing in
good shape. When asked about arbitra-
ton, he said that what is wanted is a
means whereby the miners may get fair
pay for their labor 'It is a question of
hard-earned bread" he added, which has
been long withheld. If arbitration will
bring satisfactory settlement then arbi-
tration is the proper course"
President Doan said a movement would
shortly be made on the mines above the
Pennsylvania Railroad that are still in
operation and a strong effort will be made
to bring them out on strike. No plans
have yet been arranged TO bring out the
men at the three mines OF the New York
and Cleveland Gas Coal Company, but Mr.
Dolan says they will receive attention later
in the week.
Governor Atkinson, of West Virginia, ac-
companied by his wife and a number of
state officials, spent the day In Pittsburg
en- route to Canada where they will at
tend the convention of the Epworth League.
Concerning the miners strike he said: The
coal strike is not affecting West Virginia
very much and | do not believe the main
body of our miners will go out. l do not
anticipate any trouble whatsoever from the
strike in our State and believe the trouble
all over the country will be speedily settled
by arbitration"
The proverbial calm before the storm is
likely to be carried out in the miners strike
situation Throughout the day everything
in the district had a peaceful look. All the
mines but two or three We're closed down,
and both operators and miners appeared to
be resting on their oars, as II We're To-
night, however, it develops that a number
of the operators have been quietly planning
coup which is expected to bring dismay
to the miners 1t is the intention to at once
equip the mines with machines and do
away with a great many diggers. When
the mines are ready to start miners will be
imported and put to work under heavy
guard and the premises barricaded after
the manner pursued by the Carnegies dur
ing the great strike of 1892. With the CO.
operation of the other operators. j.
A. Better, of the Western Gas Coal Com
pany. located on the Monongahela river
win take the initiative. The operators claim
this plan becomes necessary because the
| West Virginia people are gobbiing all of
their contracts. 1t goes without saying that
the diggers will resort to every possible
means TO prevent the carrying out of the
proposed scheme. From present appear
ances the Sickle Hollow TRACEY of 1894
when seven striking miners We're killed is
likely TO be repeated soon. This mine is in
the Washington Run district and was re-
ported yesterday as closed. The managers
deny that it has closed for an hour They
are determined to continue work and have
made preparations for trouble. 1t was re-
ported al the miners headquarters here to-
night that two thousand miners in that dis
trict We're getting ready to march on the
mine and bring out the four hundred men
working there The attempt is TO be made
on Friday or Saturday. This mine is ship
ping daily one hundred cars and is a men
ace to the success of the strike. A move
ment is also on foot among the strikers
along the Panhandle to march to the Boote
and Allison mines and compel the miners