The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-08
COAL MINERS AHEAD
UNCLE SANS DEPUTIES MARSHAlLS
CALLED FOR.
The West Virginia Mine Operators Hope to Ship
Their Coal and Make Money Out of
Strike--Trouble Feared.

Strike Trouble Feared.
Pittsburg, July 7.-Forty-eight hours
after the Inaugural ton of the great coal
miners strike, a comparison of statements
from both sides engaged in the contest
show favorable results for the dggers.
| DESIGNATING the miners official announce
ments by the operators opinions, there
seems no question that the w0rkmen have
scored decided advantage in this dis
trct, and it is believed that as Pittsburg
goes. so goes the country.
Conservative estimates place the num-
! her of miners now striking in this dis
trict at from 10000 to $4,000 men, and
an increase of about 5000 over yester-
days record. This leaves but from 5000
TO 5000 men still working.
The key to entire situation, from pres
ent appearances. lies in the success or de-
feat of the strikers i'll securing the coop
GRAFTON of the men now working for the
New York and Cleveland Gas Coal Com
pany. Without these men, the strike can
hardly succeed, because they will be able,
in measure, to supply the demand long
enough to tide over the present embar-
rassment.
Patrick Dolan, president of the Pitts
burg district miners. is confident that be-
fore the present week closes he will have
succeeded in getting all of these men to
join the ranks of the strikers and when
this result is effected. the battle will
be practically won.
The operators are just as confident of
success as the miners are, and tonight
issued statement claiming a large ac-
cession of men in different parts of the
district and heavier shipping list than
usual. One thing slightly in favor of
the operators is the freeing of navigate
on the Monongahela river, which went
into effect to-day. Ten million bushels of
coal, which have been stocked in the
pools above here waiting this event, will
be brought to this harbor at once and be
availa Bile for the present demand.
Notwithstanding the advantage claim
ed for the operators, the concensus of
opinion appears to be in favor of the
miners. inasmuch as the operators can
only hope for temporary relief with their
present facilities, and the miners officials
seem to be in fair way to effectually
cripple even these, by constantly adding
to their number from the ranks of those
rema ming at work.
Leading operators in the district admit
that the miners have succeeded in get
ting more men to strike than they expect
ed, but they are not worrying over the
outlook and that the strike will not last
week. None of them are pressed for
coal, and have offers from operators
whose miners have not joined in the
movement to hold them out. Ex-senator
Camden, of West Virginia, has plenty Of
coal, and is now trying to lease cars to
take it to the market Pittsburg operat-
ors whose mines are idle have requests
for their individual cars. One operator
sent 100 cars to West Virginia yes
terday.
The strike has already benefited the
West Virginia operators, and if it contin-
tinues for a few weeks they will be
enabled to dispose of large quantity of
coal at good prices.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany, acting under it's legal right, to-day
confiscated a number of cars of coal
which had been SHIPPED by Henry Floor
sheim. to the United States engineer for
Davis Island and Herr's Island dams.
The coal is badly needed by the govern
ment, and also by the railroad company.
The United States engineer offered to
i compromise with the Baltimore and
Ohio if it would release half of the coal
If the offer is not accepted, the question
will be submitted to the United States
District Attorney to determine where the
coal shall go.
Wheeling, w. Va, July 1.-THE storm
center of the big coal strike bids fair
to be located in the vicinity of Wheeling.
Already the operators in the Fairmont,
w. Va, region are preparing to send
great quantities Of coal into Ohio and
to the lakes, and Wheeling is the gate
way through which all this coal will
pass Three roads, the Baltimore and
Ohio, the Wheeling and Lake Erie, and
the Cleveland, Lorain and Wheeling
will carry it through to it's markets.
Along the line of each road i'm Eastern
Ohio are located many coal mines, nearly
all of which have closed down since
the strike was declared last week. 1t
was in this area that the turbulence of
three years ago occurred, when several
thousand men of the Ohio National
Guard were ordered out. The fear is
now becoming general that the coal from
the West Virginia mines passing through
will provoke violence on the part Of the
Iule OulOu IulHeTS anu tucII lIlellllgS Ill
Eastern Ohio. Already the receivers of
the Wheeling and Lake Erie road have
secured the services of a number of
United States marshals to protect the
small number of men still at work in
their mines an this vicinity in case OF
, violence Several of the mines in Bel
mont county, Ohio, have agreed to ac-
: cept sixty cent rate, but the striking
miners object to these mines resuming,
fearing it will injure the hoped-for eff
: fectiveness of the strike, which depends
of course on little or no coal entering the
. market.
Wheeling, w. Va, July 6.-This morn
ing armed with pick-handles and clubs
the striking Wheeling and Lake Erie
miners at Long Run, over the river. pro-
ceeded to Dillonville. a short distance
away ON the same road, and forced the