The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-15
DEFIED THE
INJUNCT|0NS.
Strike Leaders Gather Without Mo-
Iestation in West Virginia.
NO ATTEMPT TO STOP THEM-CON.
FERENCES. A PARADE AND PUB
Lie MEETINGS TAKE PLACE-THE
LEADERS HAVE AN IMPORTANT
DISCUSSION AND SAY THAT
THEY FEEL MUCH ENCOURAGED
BY THE REPORTS MADE TO
THEM.

Wheeling, w. Va, Aug. 14.-The la
Dor leaders have dcfied the United STATES
court and the coal operators in the pres
ence of deputy marshals ard have come
out of the contest with banners flying
To-day they gathered at Paramount and
at Monongah, held MEETINGS and paraded
through the mining districts aud in
thinly disguised language even dared the
officers. and operators to come on, n
gauntlet which was not picked up. No
where was any effort made to serve upon
them the injunction of Judge Jackson
1t was victory which very decidedly
strengthened the position of the strikers.
This morning secret conference was
held at tho Arlington Hotel, Palatine,
across the river from Fairmont, between
President Ratchford, Samuel Gompers,
president Of the ederation of Labor;
Sovereign, O'Connell, Rea, Jones, Mahon,
Barnes, Woods, Davis and others of the
leading labor leaders Ct the country. The
injunctio the general statutes, and con-
duct Ct the strike and the actio for the
future were discussed, but the meeting
was secret, and just what Was said or
determined upon could not be ascertained
Mr.. O'Connell said that the reports
made by Mahon were of n most.encourag-
ing nature and upon the strength of it
West Virginia was as certain as fate, and
that it would come sooner than most
people imagined. He admitted that n
mistake had been made in t--adoptinc
the present tactics in the Fairmont re-
gion month ago, but the right course
was now being pursued, and that the
men would come out and stay out
Sovereign said: 81 do not like these
quiet strikes. like to see the men en-
fnn lanf In q ~, al.
little Of the go have seen in strikes in
the West would be a splendid thing here
| would like to be in this region for ten
days ii President Ratchford would agree
to it. want to he here when the great
break is made, which is sure.to come in
that time'
AT the close of the conference the lead
ers determined to go through the mining
region, holding their meetings and a
parade aud give the authorities and oper-
ators every opportunity to carry ont the
injunction policy. They knew that the
deputy mashals would be present with
warrants, and were anxious to meet the
issue which the operators had laised.
Ratchford, Gompers, Sovereign, Mahon,
O'Connell, Woods, Rhen and the rest
went directly from Fairmont to Monon-
gah, where parade of miners WAS organ
lied, and the leaders placed themselves
at the head of the column Five hundred
and seven men were in line, and they
went through the mining region very
thoroughly.
A mass meeting was held at Willow
Grove and Ratchford, Gompers, Sover-
ign and Mahon spoke at the meeting,
not closing until 6 o'clock. Gompers
was particularly frank in some of his re.
marks addressed to the deputy marshals
nd L.
ent, but no results followed. The lead
ers then returned to Fairmont, where
another meeting WAS held tonight and
the same programme followed with a
like result, while O'Connell and Woods
went to Montana and addressed the chill
dren at Sunday school gathering of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
TO morrow Ratchford and Sovereign
will leave for Ohio.
A number of additional men quit work
in the Monongah mines day, and only
lou are now ut work, while nearly 600
are out, showing the effects of steady
and persistent work.
There is nothing new in the Wheeling
district, because all the men are out.
The management of the mills are making
II fuss about shutting off their supplies
of fuel, and there is general resort to
natural gas. which is fortunately abund-
ant. On the Ohio side things are also
quiet for the same reason.
The offer of the miners at the Laughln
Iron and Steel COmpany's mine to give
~ per cent. of their earnings to the strike
fund and the proposition of the company
to duplicate any sum the miners might
give was net satisfactory to the Eastern
OHIO strikers and this morning a marcn-
ing column from ont of the Cleveland,
Lorain and Wheeling railway mines
went with flags and band to the Laugh.
lin mines. The men at work refused TO
come out until the national officers had
passed upon their proposition. Except
the lIaughlin and the Aetna Standard
mines everything in this vicinity is closed
down.