New-York tribune., 1897-07-30
DE ARJIITJ,S MINES BESIEGED
THOUSANDS OF STRIKERS ENCAMPED
ABOUT THEM.

A BIG MASS MEETING ADDRESSED BY pEbs AND
oTHERs-ARMED DEPUTIES WERE PUT ON
Guard. But THERE WAS NO TROUBLE
Pi,tsburg July 29-Oak TIill, in the neighborhood
Of the Turtle Creek. Plum Creek and Sandy creek
mines OF De Armitt was invaded after midhlght py
an army of strikers who came TO attend the great
mass-meeting to be held near the mines to-day IL
IL estimated that by daybreak there were seVera
Thousand miners encamped on the hills surround
ing the property of the NewYork and Cleveland
Gas coal Company. They came from every direc-
,,on headed by brass bands. Large delegations ar
rived from Willocks Gastonville, FlneyViie anu
other points along the Wheeling division' nearly
all Of them carrying heavy waiking-sucKs anu
some being armed. There were no threats Oh Vio
lence however, and no indications Oh urihhi"s
MANY had food enough to last two days
r,omediat.ly upon reaching Oak Hill the strikers
nrenared for camp The scenes around IurtIe
Creek after midnight were strange Poorly eau
miners stretched themselves out In the soi'e''
spots they could hnd and slept with theT arms
folded under their heads for pillows The squads
from each mine camped together, stacking the"
,,rmidoh,e walking sticks and banners together'
Each detachment was in charge OF men seIec'eu
before the march was begun. who acted as onicers'
The foreigners had their own officers. ana the rns-
ush-speaking miners theirs. Orders were lihpio-
lily followed. . o
In valley leading up from Iurtle 'ieeh " '''N
of the New York and Cleveland mines the com
an,. had a powerfu searchight. Ii was Kept
shif,inp about IN the hope Of fanklng any Hlo'c'
mont of the strikers to creep within reach oi the
,n,,o unknown to the deputies who guardeu every
approach. ., ,.o.o ~, and
Long before daylight the strikers were up' """
,t,or eating their frugal meal prepared for the
davis work The intention was to see as man! u
De Armit's men before they got into the pts '"i'
morning as possible. r
About 4 O'Clock. 800 strikers assemDieo AZ u Va
tle Creek and headed by three brass Dahds' WIFI
flags and banners flying. marched past the houses
occunied bv De Armts miners. The strikers moot
oil and Yelled and then marched 10 the Hiio''
whore they PLANTED themselves before the pits thus
oor,nel,ne De Arrnit's men to run the gauntlet 10
get TO work 4 short time later Sherit howles'
who had been asked for assistance, arrived from
Pttsburg with fifty deputies armed with "inenes-
tcrs. The strikers quietly wlthore"' anu '"e "'"
deputies were placed on guard.
when the strikers reached Pium Nreeh anu
started on a run down the road toward the uppie'
TO catch the men before they entered the NINE I'VE
shots were fired from Winchesters heid py 'he
DEPUTIES In reply to this the drum corps slru-A
M n lively air but return shots were hreo'
The miners who hurrying into the pit were
overtaken and asked not to go TO work MOST OF
them said they were afraid they would lose t',es ,b
jobs they stayed away from wooK ds 10 to 20
into the mine The miners were carryiihs u,tnt ,hn
buckets As they turned TO leave the sta -,
dinner buckets were taken from them me i!sns-
ened miners without attempting 10 regain ,he, t
buckets for the pit. and did not STOP unti ues
were behind the shelter OF the deputies ""ene''
ters The mine Is In full operation -, ., IN
When the meeting was caied 10 oioet az rV
O'Clock there were three thousand striking hineis
in attendance, and before 1t was wen unuer Mas
there were five thousand people in the helshesot as.
hood. About go o'clock TWO hundreu anu my
miners from the Sandy Creek mines mapeheG mare trom 10
the meeting. and a large NUMBER came iIo,h III
Turtle Creek Previous TO the meeting Eugvns v.
Debs District President Dolan. Secretary warner
and NJ T. Csrrick went among the strikers ana
counselled them to observe the law ana preserve
good order throughout the day. Their advice was
receiYed with good grace Dy the men, WHO c"ceie"
the officials enthusiastically. , .
ing and in "a short speech he accused MI De
ArmItt of insincerity lie said that If DE Armitts
men d!d not come out there would be sympathy
strike all over the United States
When Eugene V. Debs was introduced there was
great enthusiasm. He said in part II am here
not TO encourage passion but TO appeal to reason
You are In the midst of the greatest contest the
world has ever known. Whether you succeed OF
fail depends on yourselves. In order 10 win you
must remain absolutely sober until this contest Is
over Whskey clouds the brain, robs you or your
money and makes you brutal. and also makes you
do tust what your enemies want you 10 do
The presence of the deputy sherins was not
needed as there was no trouble of any Kind. Presi-
dent Do Armtt said this afternoon that all tne
mines OF the company were in operation. and he
was certain that his men could not bc~induced TO
.,,Is