The herald., 1897-07-08
COAL STRIKE
Promises Favorably for
the Diggers
DISORDER is THREATENED
OVER COAL SENT FROM WEST
VIRGINIA
Railroads Are First to Suffer, and
Have Already Begun to Seize
Private Supplies
Associated Press Special Wire.

PITTSBURG, July THE coal mine
operators assert that more men are
working than laid down their picks.
1t is positively asserted that notwith-
standing President Meehan's statement
that all the men are out at the mines
of the Pittsburg and Chicago company,
rs cars, or 675 tons, We're loaded at the
mines yesterday and 25 cars today. If
this is true the company must haye
nearly a full complement Of men, as one
miner is supposed to dig about four tons
of coal per day
Dolan's statement that the Reading
mines were idle was also pronounced un-
true by the officials of that company.
The mines they say, are running as
usual.
A list of 35 mines was given by the
operators, which, they said, were being
operated as usual.
Forty-eight hours after the inaugu-
ration of the great coal miners strike
a comparison of statements from botn
sides engaged in the contest shows fa-
vorable results for the diggers. Dis
counting the miners official announce
ments by the operators opinions, there
seems no question that the workmen
have scored a decided advantage in this
district, and it is believed that as the
Pittsburg district goes, so goes the coun-
try.
Conservative estimates place the num-
Der of miners now striking in this dis
trict at from 10000 to $4,000 men, an in
crease of about 5000 over yesterdays
record. This leaves but from 5000 to
5000 men still working.
The key to the entire situation, from
present appearances, lies in the success
or defeat of the strikers in securing the
cooperation of the men now working
for the New York and Cleveland Gas
Coal company. Without these men the
strike can hardly succeed, because they
will be able, in measure, to supply the
demand long enough to tide over the
present embarrassment.
Notwithstanding the claim of the, op-
orators, the consensus of opinion seems
to be in favor of the miners. AT the
miners headquarters today President
Dolan declared that the best news re-
ceived was that the men working under
contract at the Panhandle mines of
Mark Hanna & Co. had quit work, and
also that Robbins first pool mines We're
idle and that no coal was loaded at the
mines of the Pittsburg and Chicago
Gas Coal company at Snowden and Cas-
tonvilee.
THE STORM CENTER
WHEELING, w. Va, July THE
storm center of the big coal strike bids
fair to be located in the vicinity of
Wheeling. All the operators in the Fair
mount, West Virginia, district are pre-
pairing to send great quantities of coal
into Ohio and to the lakes
The feeling is now becoming gneral
that the coal from the West Virginia
mines passing through will provoke vfo-
lence upon the part of the idle union men
and their friends in eastern Ohio.
This morning, armed with pick han
dies and clubs, the striking Wheeling
ard Lake Erie miners at Long Run over
the river proceeded to Dillonville, a
short distance away, on the same road,
and forced the working miners at the
latter place to come out on a strike. The
deputy United States marshals from
Cincinnati have not yet arrived.
CONFISCATION
CLEVELAND, Ohio, July THE rail-
roads have already begun to seize coal
for their own use, no matter to whom it
is consigned. Whole trair.s are sent to
railroad yards and unloaded, regardless
of who the coal is destined for. The cor
fiscation began slightly at the first talk
of the. miners strike and is general.
The railroads take the coal by virtue of
the fact that they carry United States
mail.