The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-06
A BRUSH With De ARMIT
DENIED THAT 800 NEGROES
WOULD BE PUT IN.
A SCHEME WORKED TO GET PROVISIONS
Much Suffering Among the Families of the
Miners--Gov. Atkinson. Of West Virginia.
Sympathizes Seemingly With Strikers
but SAYS Law Must be Supreme.

but SAWS Law muSl DC outhciie'
Pittsburg. Pa, Aug 5.-Out of the
1000 strikers who camped at Turtle
Creek last Saturday, barely 800 now re-
main at Camp Determination. In ad-
dition TO the large number Of men who
were turned ont of camp and cut of
from the free lunch distribution yester-
day. many were drafted to Plum Creek,
where the great struggle for supremacy
between the strikers and the New York
and Cleveland Gas Coal Company VIII
be carried on.
At Turtle and Sandy Creeks the strik-
ers have practically won Turtle Creek
mine. known as No. 4. is closed as tight
as the strikers can ever hope 10 close
it by their present peace-ui means OF
agitation. 1t is true that a few men
are still ar work in the pit, but they are
not putting out any coal. The same
holds good at Sandy Greek. Reports
from Plum Greek are conflicting. Supt.
De Armit claims that 255 men are still
working, while the strikers say they
counted but thirty going into the pit
this morning. The deputies at Plum
Greek are having hard time. Many
are complaining and a number have re-
signed. There is no such thing as un-
interrupted rest for the deputies They
are I'D from before day light until long
after the sun has set. They are under
a constant strain.
There are seyenty-fye deputies on
duty here and ii is stated that this num-
Der will not be decreased for the present.
Early this morning Superintendent
De Armit had a brush with the march
ers. They were on the march and as
he approached they opened ranks for
him to pass through. When they neared
the end of the road leading into the
Aurraysville road he stopped them, say
ing the road was the private property
of the New York and Cleveland Gas
Coal Company. The men held a con-
sultation and concluded to march on.
which they did. De Armit marched
with them, threatening them with ar
rests, but no arrests were made.
1t became rumored among the campers
to-day that President w. p. De Armit
had made arrangements to bring 300
colored men to the mines from Virginia
and that they would be here by Satur-
day.
The officials of the company. when
seen, denied the rumor and said that
nothing of the kind was contemplated.
Citizens who are in sympathy with the
striking coal miners undertook in a move
way to-day to secure contributions OF
provisions, from the merchants of the
South Side, to be sent to the commissary
department of the miners camps. A
local band was engaged, together with
several large express wagons and a pro-
cession, headed by stand of the ma
tional colors was formed. The band
played patriotic music and slowly moved
up Carson street, stopping at each corner
The merchants all along the route came
forward with liberal contributions OF
everything needed and soon the wagons
were filled. At the South Side market
liberal contributions of vegetables were
placed on the wagons.
A large mass-meeting Of the miners
of the Monongahela Valley was held al
Roscoe this afternoon to devise means
for carrying on the strike and to induce
the few men at the mines at Elizabeth
Bunola and Webster to come out. 1t was
decided to organize q marching party
ana this will be done in few days.
The miners families along the Monon
gahela Valley are reported to be wanting
the necessities of life. Destitution il
prevalent at every mining hamlet ant
hundreds of families have not hao
enough to eat for several days. A
Monongahela City soup house has beer
started and committee appointed tt
solicit provisions.
GOV. ATKINSON, TO THE MINERS
Washington, Aug. 5.-Gov. Atkinson,
of West Virginia has replied to Messrs
Gompers, Sovereign and Ratchford, the
labor leaders who conferred with him
regarding the miners strike. The letter
sets forth at some length the rights OF
property and the rights of citizens. II
also speaks of the injunction issued a
gainst the leaders by the circuit court of
Marion county and states that the gov
ernor has requested the attorney general
to appear in the matter and assist in hav-
ing an early adjudication by the Supreme
court of the State, of the injunction pro-
ceedings. This action is taken because
the Injunction presents somewhat novel
questions and because it affects the
rights of a large number of the citizens
of West Virginia. In conclusion, Gov.
ernor Atkinson says:
$50 long as the workingmen of this
State conduct their cause in lawful and
peaceable manner, it will be my duty as
it will be pleasure to protect them; but
if they should, in an ill-advised hour,
violate the law by interfering with the
rights or property of others, it will be
my sworn duty to repress energetically