The Forrest City times., 1897-08-06
DINNING THE DIGGERS.
The Siege of De Armitt's Mer
 Gradually Bearing Fruit
COMPLETE VICTORY EXPECTED SOON
The Operators Making No Effort to Ge the Miners Back to Work-Satis- fled to Have the Strike Con-
 tinue Till January.

PITTSBURGH, Pa., Aug. 5.-The strik ing miners have gained another vic tory at Plum Creek by inducing 20 more men to join the ranks. All of them were diggers. This leaves the mine working with about half the force of Tuesday. Committees are working in- dustriously in the houses of the miners. They first enlist the sympathy of the women, and then the men are more easily induced to go out. The strikers are turning their attention entirely to the diggers, knowing If they come out the other employees will be forced to follow. The New York & Cleveland Gas Coal Co.,, on the other hand. is mak. ing every effort to keep the mines go- ing. They claim the Plum Creek miners are working, while the strikers say that not more than 40 men are in the pit. The full force of that mine is $40 men. Before the campers came the output Was from 120 to 40 cars day. This output, however, was about 40 cars above the average when the other mines are working. The out put Tuesday was 39 cars. With 20 more men out the output is not ex- expected to exceed 20 cars. The com plete closing of the mine may be ex- pected in u very few days.
 There has been no changes at Oak Hill. A statement made by the miners that only two men were working may be true. In that cases the output of eight cars claimed for Monday and Tuesday will be decreased to one ear.
 The extraordinary capacity of the mine is 120 cars, and the normal capac- ity 90 cars. The demonstration against De Armitt has had the effect of de- creasing the capacity of 340 cars to AZ cars, with the probability of it being further reduced.
 The campers at Turtle Creek were on the march at 8 d. m., and went to the Oak Hill mine. They marched back at 630 d. m., and had breakfast. Camp life has been reduced to system. One hundred men were sent to Plum Creek and sent home, leaving 600 men in camp. They have divided into com panies of 100 each, under lieutenant. Provisions seem to be plentiful. The camp will be pollced by strikers, sworn in by Burgess Yeats, as borough police.
 One of the notable features of the strike of the miners has been the ab- sence of effort by the operators to get their miners to work. There has bee n no meeting by them to consider the situation, nor have there be en any at. tempts to start mines with new men. This is explained by an operator who said he was satisfied to have the strike continue until January, as he has enough coal to last him, or can get it at prices which will enable him to make profit. The lower river markets are reported to be wellstocked with Pitts burgh coal, and by reason of almost continuous navigation from January until July large stocks have been ac- cumulated in the New Orleans, Louis. vile and Cincinnati markets, and no coal-boat stage of water can be ex- pected now before November.
 Some of the rail operators have plenty of coal, one producer claiming to have not less than 200, 900 tons avail able for his contracts, and others can buy coal at a price almost as low as they can produce it. Ruling prices are 75 cents f. O. b., cars at shipping point for run of the mine and Sl to l25 for screened coal.