The record-union., 1897-08-11

the Strike as Remote as When
the Trouble First Begun.
PITTSBURG, Aug 10-There is a
growing feeling of appre hension among
coal operators that the prolonging OF
the strike for a few more weeks will
prove bad for the Lake shippers. 1t is
that when the miners Will have re-
turned TO work there will be such a
demand for coal that cars will not be
obtainable to rush it through for ship
ment before lake insurance rates adj
vance. At present lake freights are
low, and vessels are tied up waiting
for cargoes. When coal again goes
/ forward to the docks it is feared the
demand for vessels will be so great
that time win be lost in taking on car
! goes. because of the limitations at the
docks to moor vessels while loading and
at the upper ports while unloading.
Nothing has been done by the local
operators looking to a settlement of the
strike. They say the miners demands
are impossible of compliance, and until
they are modified there is no use of
talking about a settlement. Contracts
are said to have been taken for all of
this year at a low specific price, waiv-
ing the customary clauses which make
the price so much above the mining
rate Most of the lake coal contracts
are said to have been made without
this clause this year, and operators say
| that to jump the cost of mining to
the point demanded by the miners or
to a near approach to it would mean
/ that the Sheriff would become an i'm
portant person in their business. They
say they are doing nothing regarding
the settlement of the strike, but trying
to get the uniformity agreement into
operation. They maintains that it's
adoption offers the only hope of i'm
provement in the condition Of miners
or an enlargement of their earnings
next year
CRISIS NEAR AT HAND.
PITTSBURG, Aug. 10.-A crisis is
fast approaching in the miners move
ment against the New York and Cleve-
land Gas Coal Company. To-day's work
was not altogether encouraging to the
strikers To begin with they had to
contend with their first spell of bad
weather A heavy rain drenched the
camps and prevented the marchers from
carrying out their regular programme.
At Plum Creek the rain and continued
absence of a band kept the men in their
quarters, with the result that little If
any missionary work was undertaken.
The storm also had the effect of pre-
venting the march to the Spring Hill
mines between Wilmerding and Wall
Station. which are owned by Alexander
Dempster The only march of the day
was made by the $50 men at Camp De-
termination, who left camp shortly after
Z o'clock and marched close to the Oak
Hill tipples, spent two hours in the
vicinity of the miners home. There
was not even ordinary excitement at
tached to the invasion along Thomp-
sons Run. Summary of developments
of the day leaves the conditions much
the same as they were. The failure to
hold meeting at Camp Isolation was
another disappointing feature, and the
men are loudly clamoring for the pres
ence of the officials. This afternoon
District President Patrick Dolan ac-
cused the operators of the Pittsburg
district with having broken faith with
the striking miners in this district The
operators, he said, had promised to pay
the price when the supply at the De
Arimtt mines had been cut off. This has
been done, but the operators had failed
to keep their part of the contract.
The miners who have been working
regularly at Oak Hill mines were paid
this afternoon. Those who Joined the
strike did not get their cash, the COM
pany Withholding it as under the con-
tract the men forfeited their wages by
striking. There was no excitement.
Between 200 and 300 men were on hand,
but few of them received any money.
Mr.. De Armitt made a speech to the
men, telling them that he syrnpathized
with them, and the money was with
held not because the company wanted
it. but because it had to carry out the
terms of the contract.
/ SITUATION AT THE MINES.
PITTSBURG Pa-), Aug. 1O.-The
striking miners encamped at Plum
Creek claim that a large desertion has
taken place from the De Arrnitt mines,
and that the working force is too small
to dig coal enough to supply the water
works at Pittsburg.
The strikers have been predicting
that the diggers would join their ranks
as soon as they were paid, and are dis
appointed because the men did not
quit in a body.
There is no disorder over the paw
ment of the men, although both the
strikers and deputies expected trouble.
The total amount paid out was over
$1,000 The diggers received from SO
to S46 for two weeks pay.
Many say they had little difficulty in
earning 81 30 a day and they do not
see how the strike can benefit them
The company discharged twenty mine
foreign workmen and last night all of
them took up quarters in the strikers
camp.
The striking miners are expected to
reach Irwin from Turtle Creek to-mor-
row evening, and the operators are
ready for them. At Export the farmers
have notified the Westmoreland COM
pany that they viii not allow the strik-
I ers TO come upon their land and WIN
treat them as trespassers.
Mr.. Dolan's statement that the West
moreland Coal Company and the Penn
sylvania Gas Coal Company were SELL
ing coal to De ArInitt was investigated
to-day. At the depot it was learned