Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-09
MINERS ARE GAINING.
YESTERDAYS DEVELOPMENTS FAV-
ORABLE TO THEM.
THE STRIKE is SPREADING.
MEN WORRYING UNDER IRONCLAD
AGREEMENTS GO OUT.
Lose Part of Their AccumuIatedN Wages
by SO Doing-Thc strike May BE
Carried Into the Anthracite
Coal Regions before
Long.
THE STRIKE is: SPREADING.

Pittsburr. Pa. July sit is safe TO say
that the amount Of coal dug to-day on the
Wheeling division Of the Baltimore * ONO
railroad would not i'll one fiatcar. Such
complete shutdown as exists IN inns us
trict so soon after the inauguration OF the
strike is admittedly a surprise 10 the peo-
pie living in that section. \ NUMBER OF
miners were N work yesterday, the ma
lority of them in the pits OF the flIlSpuIb
and Chicago Gas Coal Company, AT snow
den and Gsstonvile. but to-day it is doubt
full II the diggers at work along the Whole
line would number fifty, all OF these at the
CastonNiIle pit Of the P.ttsbuTg and Chi
cago company.
A careful review Of the situation proves
the assertion Of the miners officials that
the Wheeling division is soiidly advocating
the strike. All the mines above Finley
VILE are completely tied up FNe cars
were loaded at the Germanld yesterday
but il was with coal which had been "
ing on the dump since work was suspendea
last Friday. There was a doubt as 10
whether or not the Slavs would return 10
work after their holiday Tuesday. but this
has been dispeled and the foreigners seem
as enthusiastic as any on the strike ques-
ton.
Miners along the lire have been anxious
" watching the diggeTs of the Pittsburg
and Chicago company at GastonVllie ana
Snowden Up till to-day il was a matter
of doubt whether or not they would come
out Vague rumors of the Finleyville dig
gers threatening TO pull them out were
floating around. but were not belleNed 70
have much foundation. The company
though. was prepared for any move OF
the kind that might be made, and notices
were posted warning all not concerned with
the working OF the mines 10 Keep on the
property. It is also said that they had a
number of special guards on hand 10
watch the movements of the men.
These men have all been working under
the iron-clad agreement. ana as this meant
held back since the first Of the year by the
firm If they voluntarily quit Hork, lhe
strikers were IN doubt as TO Whether they
could be induced to join the movement. AT
a meeting held last night, however. 1t was
decided 10 come out for the. district rate
and to-day the miners were practically
BY their action, it is said. the men win
lose nearly $500 in percentages. 80 4.
The miners on the Wheeling division ap-
parently have no fears in regard to the
length OF the strike. A large number OF
them were asked how long the strikers
could stand it without suffering from want;
One and all were firm In the belief that gu
could scratch along for several weeks
all right. Well" replied digger to the
0uestion The man who owns the pit /
work in said once when we had some trou-
bic with him and won out that miners could
we can. Anyway. we are willing 10 try 1t
a right smart SPELL
About one-third Of the fun quota of dig
gers were at work at the Panhandle mines
of VI. 4. Hanna a. Co. to-day This is an
increase over yesterday, and is due to the
fact that the firm posted a notice to the
effect that If the men did not return to
work to-day the money due them on their
i~on-clad contracts would be retained. The
amount it is said aggregates $1,000.
''zE local mining officials. flushed with
WI, tCrs. N-STe nov preparing TO make move
-siuSt thss mines Of the New York and
ClcveIaa8 Gas, G0al Company. They ex-
prcsr confdeude IN their sbility TO bring
the-s men out before the end of the week
ard then the 'uspensiOn in this district
will be complete Then the strike eXten-
sion work Will proceed eastward. The
mines shipping to the seaboard will be at
tackled. From hints dropped by the min
ers officials. 1t is not improbable that
successful elimination of the s,ri&e agita-
ton in the soft coal fields will result in
the assignment of strike emissaries to the
trict is restricted to a stated amount by
agreement entered into between members
of the operators organization. The min
ers' officials think this agreement will be
broken and that an effort will be made
among the anthracite producers to supply,
in part, the need Of coal among the BIZ
this phase of the struggle with great care.
Any intimation of increased output among
anthracite mines will result in an imme-
diste strike agitation In those fields.
Up 10 the present time no sign Of unlaw-
fulness has developed among the strikers
and no evidence whatever that there will
be. Tomorrow promises 20 be a day of de-
Cided action on the part OF the miners It
IS reported that a meeting has been sched-
uled between President RatchfOrd. of the
Mine Workers Association. and President
Gompers of the Federation of Labor. in
this city. The meeting between Ratchford
and Gompers will be an important one. as
plans for carrying on the strike TO ulti-
mate success are to be discussed. Ii is
claimed that one of the principal topics will
be "A scheme to raise funds from which II is
proposed 10 paw all the miners that are
now working full time. in order to induce
them to make the tie-up complete. IL is
said that President GomperS will offer TO
raise fund of $4,000 per week 10 assist
the strikers in their struggle.
The miners officials are likely 20 meet
with serious stumbinE-block in their ef-
forts to induce the miners of the New York
& Cleveland Gas Coal Company 10 Join In
the movement. Notwithstanding their con-
fdcnt assertion that these men will be out
before Sunday night next. A visit to to the
mines to-day disclosed the fact that a large
number Of men are opposed to striking at
this time. because Of their contract agree
mcut- The officials of the company saw
the men have given positive assurances
that they Will remain. and are in no wise
alarmed over the claim OF the miners lead
erS that they VIII have the men out before
the week closes.