The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-09
THE STRIKE GROWING.
Miners Forfeit Percentages and Quit
in the Pittsburg District.


Miners Forfeit Percentages and Quit
i'm the Pittsburg District.
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 correspondence The net result of
the struggle up to date, as CLEANED from
unbiased as we'll as from partisan sources,
is about as follows, partisan sources
claiming: Nineteen thousand men idle; an
almost total suspension of work in the
mines along the Monongahela; suspension
practically total on the Wheeling division
of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, only
about fifty men working there; all the
mines closed down with the exception OF
the NJ. a. Hanna & Co. mines along the
Panhandle, the New York and Cleveland
Gas Coal Company 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 yester-
day appears to be the only advantage the
operators have gained. The coming out of
the men along the Baltimore & Ohio is
decided victory for the miners because
these men were working under iron
clad agreement and by their loyalty to
their brethren forfeit S., 900 in wages which
the company holds out. The situation to
the supply of coal cannot be called serious
as yet, because there are from twelve to
fifteen million bushels of the black dia-
monds in stock at the various pools along
the river which can be placed in this city
at short notice and if need be portion Of
it could be shipped TO the lakes.
Up to the present time no sign of unlaw-
fulness has developed among the strikers
and nc 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 an
nounced that systematic movement will be
started to bring out the diggers now at
work for the New York and Cleveland Gas
Coal Company. The meeting between
Ratchford and Gompers will be an i'm
portant one as plans for carrying on the
strike to ultimate success are to be dis
cussed. 1t is claimed that one of the prin-
cipal topics will be a scheme to raise funds
from which it 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 Com
pers will offer to raise a fund OF $4,000 per
week to assist the strikers in their struggle
The miners officials are likely to meet
with a serious stumbling block in their eff
forts 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
| iUht n
the mines to-day disclosed the fact that a
large number of the men opposed to
striking at this time because of their con-
tract agreement The officials of the COM
pany say the men have given positive as
surances that they will remain and are in
no wise alarmed over the claim of the
miners leaders that they will have the men
out before the week closes
The amount of coal mined to-day on
that the amount of coal mined to-day on
the Wheeling division of the Baltimore q
Ohio Railroad would not fill one fiat car
Such a complete shutdown as exists in this
district so soon after the Inauguration of
the strike is admittedly a surprise to the
people living in that section. A number of
miners were at work yesterday, the major
| ity of them in the pits of the Pittsburg
| & Chicago Gas Coal Company at Snowden
and Gastonville, but to-day it is doubtful
| If the diggers at work along the whole line
would number fifty, all of these being at
the Gastonvlle pit of the Pittsburg & Chi
| cago Company A careful review of the sit
uation proves the assertion of the miners
| officials that the Wheeling division is solid
| ly advocating the strike. All the mines
| above Fineyville, Anderson, Germania,
| Hackett, Eclipse and Nottingham are COM
| pletely tied up. Five cars were loaded at
| the Germania yesterday but it was with
coal which had been lying on the dump
since work was suspended last Friday. The
| Coal Bluff mine of the j. NJ. Risker Com
| pany employing $50 men, entirely idle
| to-day. The big first pool mines of the Rob
| bins Company were also completely closed
| There was a doubt TO whether or not
the Savs would return to work after their
holiday Tuesday, but this has been dis
PEELED and the foreigners seem as enthus-
| iastic as any on the strike question.
Miners along the line have been anxious
! ~ watching the diggerS of the PittSburg
| and Chicago Company at GastonVille and
| Snowden Up to to-day 1t was a matter of
! doubt whether or not they would come out
Vague rumors of the FinleyVille diggers
| threatening TO pull them out were floating
around, but were not believed TO have much
! foundation. The company was prepared for
any move of the kind which might be made
and notices were posted warning all not
concerned with the working of the mines
| to keep off the property. 1t is also said
| that they had a number of special guards
on hand to watch the movements of the
men. These men have all been working
| under the iron-clad agreement and as this
meant a forfeiture of 10 per cent. of their
/ wages held back since the first of the year
| by the firm If they voluntarily quit work
| the strikers were in doubt as TO whether
| they could be induced to join the move
| ment. At a meeting held last night. how
| ever II was decided to come out for the
| district rate and to-day the miners We're
! practically idle BY their action, II is said
| the men viii lose nearly $1,000 in percent
! ages.
The miners officials were elated over
| their success on the Wheeling division. The
| mines in that section have without doubt
| caused the officials not a little worry, for
much coal for the Ohio-Pennsylvania trade