The herald., 1897-07-11
NO DISORDER IS EXPECTED
BUT NO PRECAUTIoN WILL BE
NEGLECTED
Application Made to the President to
Appoint Arbitrators to Settle
the Great Struggle
Associated Press Special Wire.


on the alert to secure the slightest ad-
vantage. No openly aggressive work
was done today by either side. but the
miners of1cials held secret meeting at
which 1t is believed a vigorous campaign
against the New York and Cleveland
Gas Coal miners. to be inaugurated to-
morrow, was decided upon. The opera
tors apparently are doing little and are
saying less. However, their confidence
in defeating the miners has not abated
in the least.
The effect of the strike is being mani
tested in the price of Goa. !. An increase
Of 80 cents a ton was shown today when
application was made for contracts, and
q number of Pittsburg operators, not be-
ing able to work their mines, are seek
ing to buy coal in the West Virginia
field in order to reap the advantage of
the advance.
There has been no intimation of law
lessness as yet in this region. but Sheriff
Lowrey of Allegheny county has antici-
pated trouble by swearing in 500 depu-
ties, who are in readiness for the field
at a moments s notice. At this time such
precaution seems like eover-zealousness.
The miners say there will be no overt
acts committed during the war, and all
proceedings will be strictly within the
law.
President Ratchford left the city
quietly tonight and will return in time to
accompany the men in their demonstra-
tion against the New York and Cleve-
land company's miners.
The miners on the Wheeling division
were paid today for the two weeks end
ing July /, and contrary to expectations
there was no disorder at any of the COM
pany offices. Nearly 1000 is said tC
have been paid at the various mines in
Monongahela river and Venetia. The
men made their visit to the cashier in
a quiet and undemonstrative manner.
Finleyville, which is practically the
center of the mines of that division was
as quiet as country village on Sunday.
The practice of deducting rent and store
bills was followed to a large extent at
the company's offices. At the majority
of the mines it Is said the men will be
required to pay their months rent in ad-
vance, and wherever this is impossible
they will be required to vacate the COM
pany's houses.
There was a furry in the coal market
today. Before the strike coal was quot
ed at 70 cents per ton. This afternoon it
was difficult to buy at $1.50 ton. A
few Of the operators who were on the in
side made considerable money. Some of
the operators have gone in the broker
age busine ess in West Virginia.
The Port Royal Coal company has
bought 300 cars of West Virginia coal
and was selling it from 81 10 to s1.50
ARBITRATION TALK
NEW YORK, July 1O-A special to the
Journal and Advertiser from Washing
ton says: Having ascertained from the
leading constitutional lawyers in Con-
gress that there is no ground upon which
the Federal government can directly
take part in the arbitration of the dis
pute between the miners and mine own
ers involved in the present gigantic
struggle, the Journal and Advertiser
has laid the question before President
Mckinley personally and asked him to
name an unofficial body of arbitrators
whose character and reputation for fair
ness and good sense would be sufficient
to guarantee a just and acceptable de-
cision.
The President has expressed his will
ingness to take the matter under imme-
diate consideration on condition that
the mine owners shall agree to submit
their case to the arbitrators and abide
by the result.
OF course, it is understood that this
body can have no official character and
will be unable to enforce it's decision, but
1t can. perhaps, induce the mine owners
and mine workers to end the appalling
struggle on some reasonable basis and
thus save the country from the horrors
of national struggle between capital
and labor at time when want and
misery stalk through the country.
A board of arbitrators can at least
succeed in placing the responsibility for
the continuance of this disastrous and
perilous strife where it belongs. Presi-
dent Mckinley cannot and will not un-
dertake to- select the arbitrators until
he has had satisfactory assurances tina:
both sides are willing to accept arbitra-
tion. Even then his action will depend
upon the circumstances under which
the case is laid before him.
He realizes fully the terrible conse-
quences which may follow if the strug-
gle is allowed to go on. The Journa
and Advertiser is not in a position tc
make public all the details of the ma tier
but it has gone far enough to open a
way for a peaceful settlement. The
public at large will presently be able
to see clearly the nature of the great
coal strike and its environments.
President Mckinley cannot go beyond
the point already indicated until the
mine owners have expressed their will
lingness to accept his good offices and
agree to the principles of arbitration.
NO IDEA OF VIOLENCE
COLUMBUS, o., July 10.--W. c.
Pearce, Secretary of the United Mine
Workers. returned today from Glouces-
ter o., and says that the miners are
working in their gardens and satisfied
with the outlook They have no more
idea Of stopping coal on the trains than
he has Of stopping cars in Columbus.
IN WEST VIRGINIA
PITTsBURG. July 10.-The decision
of the labor leaders at last nights con-
ference here to send organizers into
Wsst Virginia and furnish funds to