The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-25

STRIKERS And MARCHHRS
Mine Owners Seem to Gain
at Plum Creek and Lose
Elsewhere.
DE ARMT HOLDS BACK WAGES
Incendiary Fire in Pittsburg-
Mules Poisoned at Sterling
West Virginia Work.
DE ARMIT HOLDS BACK WAGES


marching was done by the striking miners
in the De Armit mine coal region during
the night or early morning. The roads
are in very bad shape from the recent
heavy rains and the men remained inside
the lines of the camps. During the day
they quietly sauntered out in small groups
and continued their missionary work
among the miners.s The campers are
much encouraged with their attempts at
proselyting, sand will continue the work
during the afternoon and early evening
of each day. They claim to have induced
ten men to quit work at Oak Hill today
and that many more will be out tomorrow
This is pay day at Oak Hill and the camp
ers believe that after the men have re-
ceived their money they will join the
strikers.
AT Plum Creek the strikers seem to be
losing ground every day. Today the COM
pany decided that every man who did not
go to work at once could not go at all
hereafter They say this will be en-
forced. A few men who have been promi-
nent i'll trying to induce miners to strike
applied for work but were refused.
The De Armits made a statement re-
garding the Plum Creek mines. They say
that on August 16 eighty-one pit cars
were taken out of the mines there. Since
then they say the output has increased
so ears daily, and that laA Monday four
hundred pit cars were taken out. The
capacity is fixed at 600 cars.
Iteis said that the De Armit Company
has held back in wages due at the three
mines about $4,000.
The company claims that the reason
hat flfa o1lt1, Of hac 60 al
with so many men at work was because
many of the men simply went into the
mines to keep their jobs. not working
any more than they had to. Now, the
company says, they are all working hard
There were no evictions during the fore
noon and there will be none during the
De Armit said that he had no reason
for hurrying the men out of their homes
and would give them few days more
of grace.
The colored railroad laborers' camp, at
Unity, across the road from the strikers
camp, at Plum Creek, has been in a tur-
MOL for the past twenty-four hours
1t was pay day yesterday and trouble
started as soon as the men got their
money: During the night three more
colored men were shot. but none will die.
on Sunday, has not yet been captured.
An armed force is still securing the
woods for him.
The power house of the Federal Coal
Company, operated by E. w. Powers, at
Federal, Pa, on the Pittsburg. CHARTERS
and Youghiogeny Railroad was destroyed
by fire shortly after midnight The flames
spread rapidly and great difficulty was
experienced in saving the tipple
There seems to be no doubt that the
fire was the work of incendiaries as
three men were seen running down the
railroad a few minutes before the flames
were discovered.
Since the strike was started Mr. Pow
ers has. made himself unpopular by
threatening to import colored men and
start his Mines
The Federal mines were operated by
machinery. The loss is $4,000.
Striking miners are accused of poison
ing the mules in Sterling Mine No. s, at
Hastings, Pa. One mule has died, an
other is missing, and four more are ex-
tremely sick. The company is reported
to have had the carcass of the dead
one examined, with the result of prov
ing it's death was due to poison. 1t is
understood the mine will be closed down
and the tracks removed. 1t is one of the
largest mines in Hastings and is the one
at which the men and Superintendent
Nicholson have had SO much trouble.
West virginia Esarch.s.
WHEELING, W. Va. Aug. 25, 1Se7.-The
organizers began active work in this
State again today. At Fairmount
another camp has been established, and
tomorrow the marching from camp to
camp will begin and continue till the
courts stop it. In the Kanawha and New
River Valley the marchers will avoid go
ing near the mines in bodies, but will
scatter among their homes. Ratchford
sent a telegram from Pittsburg to the
leaders in the principal West Virginia
fields to keep up the fight till after the
St. Louis conference, at least. and that
there will be big increase in the force
of agitators here this week.
There has been a slight falling off in
coal production the past few days. be-
cause more was being mined than the
market demanded.
Some attention is again being given to
coke making on the Norfolk and West
| ern road.