The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-09
STRIKE GAINING STRENGTH.
10000 MEN OUT IN THE PITTsBURG
DISTRICT.

Work In the Mines Along the MOnon-
gaheIa River Practically Suspend
ed-The Suspension Also PPacti-
cnIIy Total On the Wheeling Di-
vision of the baltimore and Ohio
RaiIroad-NearIy All the Railroad
Mines Also Practically Closed
Down.
Pittsburg, Pa, July S.-The close of the
third day of the miners strike finds the
diggers gaining strength rapidly in the
Pittsburg district, elating the officials and
men correspondingly.
The act result of the struggle up to
date, as CLEANED from unbiased, as well
as from partisan sources, is about as fol-
lows: Nineteen thousand men idle, an
almost total suspension of work in the
mines along the Monongahela river; sus-
pension practically total on the Wheeling
division of the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road, only about fifty men working there;
all of the railroad mines closed down.
with the exception of the NJ. A. Hanna
& Co. mines along the Pan Handle, the
New York and Cleveland Gas Coal Com
pany and a few individual mines which
can have but little effect on the situation.
The Hanna mines have about one-third
of their usual number of men AT work,
and this slight Increase over yesterday ap-
pears to be the only advantage The oper-
ators have gained.
The coming out of the men along the
Baltimore and Ohio is decided victory for
49, y,iyars l,acarsa ithaca mon v,ere nyorl-
ing under an ironclad agreement, and by
their loyalty to their brethren forfeit $1,000
in wages, which the company holds out.
The situation as to the supply of coal can
not be called serious as yet, because there
are from 12OOO,O 900 to 100000 bushels of
the black diamonds in stock al the various
pools along the river, which can be placed
in this city at short notice. and if need be
a portion of it could be shipped to the lakes.
Up to the present time no sign of un-
lawfulness has developed among the strik-
ers and no evidence whatever that there
will be- Tomorrow promises to be a day
of decided action on the part of the miners.
1t is reported that a meeting has been
scheduled between President Ratchford of
the Mine Workers Association and Presi-
dent Gompers of the Federation of Labor,
in this city, and the miners officials say
that a systematic movement will be start
ed to bring out the diggers now at work
for the New York and Cleveland Gas Com
panJ
The meeting between Messrs. Ratchford
and Gompers will be an important one,
as plans for carrying on the strike to ulti-
mate success are to be discussed. 1t is
claimed that one of the principal topics
will be a scheme to raise funds from
which 1t is proposed to pay all the miners
that are now working full time In order TO
induce them to make the tie-up complete.
1t is said that President Gompers will Of
fer to raise a fund of $50, 900 per week to
assist the strikers in their struggle
The miners officials are likely to meet
with a serious stumbling block In their
efforts to induce the miners of the New
York and Cleveland Gas Coal Company to
join in the movement, Notwithstanding
their confident assertion that these men
will be out before Sunday night next A
visit to the mines to-day disclosed the
fact that a large number of the men are
opposed to striking at this time. because
of their contract agreement. The officials
of the company say the men have been
given positive assurances that they win
remain loyal and are in nowise alarmed
over the claim of the miners leaders that
they will have the men out before the
week closes.