Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-08-31
PLANS ARE LAID.
Operators Have Not Been Idle
\. for the Last Few Days.
PREPARATIONS MADE TO OPEN MINES.
Railroads Agree to Help, and the Eff.
fort IL Soon to BE Made-Mob of
Women Drive Men Away from
the Champion Mines.

fort Is Soon to BE Mnde-NOb OF
Women Drive Men Away from
the Champion Mines.
Pittsburgh, Pa, Aug. 2s.--Coal opera
tors of the Pittsburgh district have not
been asleep during the past few days.
The impression in certain circles that
there would be no attempt made to
start the mines seems to have been es-
tablished for a purpose and that pur-
pose was to avert the attention of the
miners officials. 1t has been definitely
decided to start several mines along the
Wheeling division of the Baltimore q
Ohio railroad. The preliminaries are
all completed and decisive move can
be expected ut most any time. 1t was
given out that the Cleveland operators
had gone to their homes for the ostensi-
BILE purpose of awaiting the result of
the st. Louis convention. Some of them
went, but others did not. Those re-
naming behind were members of the
newly-appointedc committee, whose duty
1t is to perfect the arrangements for
starting some of the mines and in the
end break the strike.
Railroads to Help.
One Of the first moves was to get in
touch with the railroad companies. The
officials of the railroads at once agreed
to cooperate with the operators in
bringing about, if possible, an era Of
activity in the coal producing industry
of the Pittsburgh district. twas made
very apparent that the railroads were
losing large amount of business, and
that they were fellow sufferers with the
coal operators. The question of ex-
pense of getting imported labor into
the district was discussed and the rail-
road companies agreed to share their
portion of the outlay. After this agree
ment was made the work of hiring I'M
ported labor was taken charge of by a
special subcommittee. Just when they
will be brought into the district could
not be learned. One of the principal
reasons for selecting the Wheeling di-
vision of the B. & o. is the fact that the
mines along this road have been sup
plying coal for the locomotives of the
railroad, and If coal is not furnished
United States mail trains could not be
run and the wheels of the national gov
eminent would be interfered with.
Protection would be Forthcoming with
no cost imposed on the operators, as the
government would be bound to protect
and maintain its property at its own
expense. These plans have all been
completed and the work Is we'll under
way.
Miners Omcials Skeptical.
President Patrick Dolan shook his
head when the question of the starting
OF mines by the operators was broached.
~ don't believe they will make such an
attempt" he said. II am of the opinion
that they will wait until after the con-
vention at St Louis. Just now it would
be big undertaking to start mines in
this district with imported men. Yet
they may be sincere in their inter-
tions." District Secretary Warner does
not anticipate that a general strike
at is not needed, as the miners officials
are satisfied with the progress which
the strike is making.
Barring & McSweeney's detective
agency on Fourth avenue has been
hiring men for the last day or two to
go and guard mines, and is said to have
secured over 100. 1t was reported that
they were to be sent to mines on the
Panhandle, which are to be started in
pursuance of the agreement made in
Cleveland. This was denied by the SUI
perintendent of the agency, who said
they were for mine in central Penn
sylvania, though he would not disclose
where it is.
First Attempt to Start Mine.
Pittsburgh, Pa, Aug. 20. = The first
attempt to start any of the coal mines
in this district was made at the Cham
pion mines of Robbins & Co., near Nc
Donald, Pa, on the Pan Handle railway,
Friday morning. Two carloads of for
,eigners, gathered up from about Pitts
burgh, were sent to the Champion mines
about daylight and put to work loading
slack into cars. The miners heard of
the arrival of the new men and 500
women marched on the mine. The new
men were attacked with stones and
clubs and driven from the cars. The
women followed them up, and the for
eigners, without resisting, fed to No
blestown. The women then returned to
Mcdonald and dumped the slack that
had been loaded from the cars They
were met by 1000 strikers, and, headed
by band, marched short distance
from the mine, where they are now en-
Nnr fc1, fn ,f he
non-union miners. The company say
they are determined to load the slack,
and conflict Is expected il the new
men are brought back to the mine.
VIII Continue to Strike.
Springfield, ILL.,, Aug. 2s.-A State
Register special from Taylorville says
the miners there held a meeting and
by unanimous vote decided to remain
out. The Taylorville men, under com.
mand of John O'Hara, left Friday night
for Decatur. On their way they will be
joined by miners from Nilwood, Green
Ridge, Girard, Virden and Auburn, and
expect to have 1000 miners in Decatur
to-day. State President O'Hara is in
command.
Bank Closes Its Doors.
Minneapolis, Mimi, Aug. 2s.-Pend
ing decision as to whether 1t will e,
into liquidation, the Bank of Minneap
oils closed its doors Friday. Withou
much question the bank will go out o
business, as r. d. Kirby, of Chicago, TIL
president and principal hacker, is anx
dous to do SO. It's capital is 500. 900 an.
its deposits $4,000. The bank has no