The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-08-28
OPERATORS DAY.

Without Force-Ths Miners DIscour.red
and Disperaing.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, Aug. IS.-This was
operators day, and from present ap-
pearances they have made q most eff
fectlve move, and have nearly, if not
quite, checkmated their opponents,
the striking miners. The courts de-
cree to-day, in making permanent the
preliminary injunction restraining the
strikers from camping, marching or In
any interfering with the New
York i Cleveland Gas Coal Co.'s min.
ers, has had the effect of almost break
ing up the camps, and apparently a
general decentralization among the
campers exists.
In order to follow up their advan-
tage, the operators held a largely-at-
tended meeting tonight at the Monon-
gahela house, and arranged for the
starting of their mines with or with
out force. If force seems to be IN
avoidable, it Is the intention to start a
certain few mines al once under the
protection of deputies, and whatever
expense may result will be shared pro
rata by the mine owners. This
scheme to start the mines was adopted
to break the national strike in 1894.
The operators then agreed to bear the
expense and two mines were put in
operation and the men were guarded
by deputies. The mines selected were
the Manown, of the Yougaiogheny
Gas Coal Co., and the Durr mine, of
Osborn, Saeger i Co. At the former
mine, is railroad cars were loaded the
first day. 1t was expensive coal, but
when the bills were settled no operator
could be found to tell what that coal
cost Various estimates were given
and it was conceded by some that it
did not cost a cent less than S. a
ton. But it had the desired effect.
Il similar successful effort was made
by the operators some years ago, when
a number OF colored men were brought
in from the south and foreigners were
imported from other localities. They
remained after the strike was ended,
and are still in the district and among
the surplus of miners.
President Dolan of the miners or
ganization Toes not believe the move
ment will be i success. The strikers
are more in earnest than in any for
mer struggle.
The operators now talk about their
inability to pay the advance on ac-
count of having taken contracts at the
5+cent rate" said he. when they
made those contracts they were fairly
warned that a higher rate would be
demanded. We called for conferences,
and told them not to make any CON
tracts based on hat low rate for dig.
ging. So that there could be no posi-
bility of a misunders landing we issued
a public notice apd had it printed
in the daily papers. They were
told plainly not to make contracts
based on a 81 cent mining rate. We
did not take any advantage of them,
for they knew what was coming.
When l spoke of 4 strike they merely
laughed and said: I'VE will have you
starved out in :wo weeks" They see
now where they'are mistaken and want
to start, but they will not succeed. We
will establish q camp and march at
every mine where the attempts made
to operate. We will fight to the bitter
end"
Camp Determination, at Turtle
Creek, was reduced in numbers to-day
from 200 to so. The men who were
told to go home gathered in an angry
crowd and denounced the officials bit
terly. Secretary William Warner came
in for a large share of vituperation
- " -~u-l uHIa- lo.-anlA1 -
him work or assistance. He replied
rather CURLY that he would get them
jobs in the w~orkhouse.
After Warner left 4 number of the
men threatened to return to their re-
spective homes and go to work in their
mines. They said the strike was a
fizzle. Some of the men left for Irwin
and Greensburg district, where they
will look for work.
Uriah Dillingham;, in charge of the
camp at Plum Creek, put a damper on
the campers at that place to-day. He
had just returned from the city, where
he had heard the courts decision in
the injunction case. He told the men
there would be no more marching and
no need of such a large number of men
at the camp. He advised the men to
diSpcrse to their respective homes and
get work wherever they could.
At this camp, where yesterday there,
waE. soc men. tonight there are less
than 100.
Sandy Creek Camp is practically
abandoned and it is not known
whether is will De opened again or not.
All told, there are less than 15J men
now encamped about the three mines.
1t is said the men who are still In
the camps will remain there and will
march as usual in spite of the sheriff
and the courts order. President Do
Ian said tonight that his men would
continue to march, and if the sheriff
arrested them. other men would take
their places at once. Said he:
THE sheriff viii have to do his duty
if we violate the law and arrest US. II
he is of the opinion that we are
~violators he will have to take us to Jail
and punish us like any other criminals.
Il sem an ordHr to all of the camps
this afternoon to continue the march
ing on the same peaceable lines that
we have been following, and l am
willing to abide by the result. We do