The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-07-13
MORE MEN ARE OUT.
Only the New York and Cleveland
Men Arc at Work Now.
TRYING TO EFFECT ARBITRATION.
De Armitt Is Not Liable to Aurec,
However, and He Has the Say.
A COAL FAMINE is IMMINENT
Operators Who Have Any Are Hold
ing IL IinciS to Get Euii Bcncht
of the atse,

| Pittsburg Pa, July l2.--Beyond the
Strengthening of the miners lines along
the rivers there is little change in the
strike situation. The ronclad contracts
which were in force at several mines In
the Mouongahela valley went out Of exis-
tenco today and the strike was made gen
cra in the fourth pool. The miners along
the river are rejoicing over this victory.
The only mine reported In operation in
the region Is the Equitable at Webster.
| 1t is stock company, comprising about
seveniy-five stockholders and they are min
ing their own coal.
The Blythe Coal company has offered the
| e. cent rate to their men ut the Red BIRD
mines. but the officials will not allow them
10 10 to work AT present.
a mass meeting was held at Fayette City
| this afternoon TO look after the strikers In
| that district ana see that no mines resume.
| The men III The Stlckel Hollow mines OF
| the Washington Coal company also came
| out today, making the suspension complete
| in this district, except at the mines of the
| New York and Cleveland Gas Coal com
| panv. whore about 100 are working
No effort has vet been made to get those
! dieEers out, and the miners ut other points
| who have laid down their tools are grun'
| DING ut the kloNnesS OF lltATnlll . men
I IN joining them. The hothcads are advis-
ing drastic measures They have been kept
IN check so far. but there is no telling
when the fever viii break cut and a CON
ccrted move on Sandy and Plum Creeks
made.
The greatest interrs, is now manifested
in the scheme to arbitratc The strike qucs-
ton. Labor commissioners and official
| nrhitrators OF the several States affected,
with The exception Of Kentucky and Ten
nessee, are modifying in this city The
state OF ONO is the only enc witch has
regularly appointed board OF arbitTalors. IT
exists for just such emergencies as this
aud liz naturally emincntly prepared for
the work. Most Of the others Interested
are labor commissioners and industrial
ftatisticians who are also we'll able TO act
in the capacity of arbitrator from the ma
ture of their work keeping them in touch
with the working classes generally. lnvi-
tati0ns have been sent to the coal operators
OF thu pttshurE district 10 meet tho arht-
traitors IN formaily and talk over he matte.
Of settling tbs strike James Young, rep
resenting the NJ. a. llauna interests, came
on from Cleveland this morning and was
In consultation with the peacemakers NJ
the seventh Avenue hotel. One or two O,
the smaller operators dropped in to look
over the situation, but no large conference
has vet been held. II is expected hy the
arhi' rators that a representative number
'Stn''NN'
within the next twenty four hours
However, persons who are we'll acquaint-
Cd with the warning factions that exist
among coal operators here Kay that they
will be hard to get together, ALTHOUGH the
oXtrtmo gravity of the outlook may have
tho desired effect Those In touch with the
situation say the attempt Mt Cancellation
will simply reopen all thu old discussion Of
DeArmitts position on the nch ssity of the
price diiferontial TO compete with the COM
pany stores.
An operator who did not desire his name
Ia be used said: personally. 1 think this
plan OF Cancellation will fail. President
Dehrmitt will hardly be prevailed upon nj
this time to abandon the position he has
held for years. To effect settlement 1t
viii be necessary for Mr. DeArmitt to come
into conference with us and pledge himself
20 pay the same price that we are paying
for the balance Of the lake season or
longer | do not think he viii agree to
this.
However n DsArmitt agrees to give up
the fight, | think settlement could he
reached very speedily But have no hope
that he Will. Whatever cum be said about
DeArmitt. his position on these points has
boon fought cut consistently along one line,
and do not apprehend that the lnterfer-
once Of cdtaido influences will have any Of
feet"
Peace emissarles called at President
DeArmitt's office, and 1t is said he told
them II would be at least day or two be-
fore he could give them n definite answer
ms to tho course of action he proposed to
follow.
II tho operators can be brought into line
on the conference idea there viii he no oh
staclo interposed by the miners. President
Ratchford notified the operators publicly a
few days ago that he was ready for a con-
ference at any time. This afternoon he
wired the arbtrators that tho miners OF
this district would meet them tomorrow.
There IL strong indication Of coal
famine confronting the country within the
next ten days. 1t is claimed by conserya-
tive operators that the market supply at
present. which is placed at 10000 900 BUSH
els. would only be able 10 meet the de-
mands OF the market for about Il month
under ordinary conditions. With the scar
city OF coal already prevailing at the lake
ports II IL claiped the supply Will not
last over two weeks at the longest. In an
ticipaiion OF such condition. the coal op-
orators are not very anxious TO fill orders
and are holding ont for the advance In price
that is expected TO result The only source
OF supply is from the river mines, as the
railroads are confiscatlng for their own use
all the coal ready for shipment along their
lines. This order was issued last week,
and with the exception OF permitting the
railroad operators filling orders for coalipg
vessels at the lake ports no coal is al
lowed to leave the district.
With the supply limited 10 the Monon-
gahela district, the prospect Of famine is
declared to BIO a certainty. There has been
a marked increase in the price Of coal
within the past few days. and II Ia claimed
that a 10 cent rate per- bushel In boatIoad
lots will be reached within the present
week. The retail dealsH as well es the
operators In general conoede that the fam
inc is imminent and hook for prices to ad-
vance beyond the limit reached during the
previous general strike OF The miners In
1884.
EnsIssh NaaI workers strsck.