Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-16
being secured from every available

being secured from every available
source.
+ 1T is just as well that we cannot
make the arrests just now" he added,
for 1t gives us more time to get at
the facts. Technically the warrants
have never been issued, for although
they have been filed out and signed.
they are in my possession and have not
been placed in the hands of any con-
stable for service
Edward Turnbach, one of the Shoot
/ ing deputies, who is spending a few
days with relatives at Mount Carmel.
some distance from here, is quoted in
an interview as follows:
1T was only question of time when
the clash had to come. 1t might have
taken five, ten or twenty minutes, but
blood was sure to have been spilled.
The strikers outnumbered us and we
did not know whether the rioters were
armed or not. Sheriff Martin told us
! to keep cool as the strikers advanced.
Finally the rioters grew so abusive
that it was necessary to fire. During
the day they barred their breasts, daring
us to shoot. During the last stand the
strikers felt sure we would not shoot.
Had the sheriff been subjected to
abuse much longer the strikers would
have taken courage and tried to steal
our rifles. That accomplished there
is no telling how much death and de-
struction to property would have re-
suited. While we hated to fire. it was
necessary fer our own lives as well as
! for law and order"
Mr.. Turnbach is dealer in dynamite
here, and many of the deputies are sub
stantlal business men. He says that
Sheriff Martin did not give the COM
mand to fire. Every deputy seemed to
act on the spur of the moment. At the
close of the interview the ex-deputy
said that he would return to Hazeton
as he was not afraid He only per-
formed his duty and would not allow
; any man to insult him.
Mine Operator Markle. who succeed
ed in preventing the marching strikers
| from closing his mine yesterday. saws
ne accomplished this by using common
sense argument with the men.
IL they have any grievances. I
SAID, they can submit them to us, and
the complaint will receive prompt at
tention. 1t is not very good plan to
hit man over tie head with a club
and then ask for an increase of wages
| afterwards | have as yet received no
list OF grievances from our employees.
They are about the best paid miners in
the field. Some of them will draw
500 for months work on pay day.
Saturday next. They are not compelled
to deal at the company stores.
If you believe that the miners get
SO little money that they are hardly
able to exist, ask at some Of the Hazel
ton savings banks how much money
is on deposit in them and who de-
posted it. They will tell you that
the amount saved up by the miners OF
| the surrounding country aggregates
two or three million dollars"
The miners insist that the company
store evil is the main cause of their
trouble. They say they are compelled
to pay 1925 there for a sack of flour
that they can get in Hazelton for $3.50:
that 25 pounds Of sugar costs Sf95 al
the company store and S125 in town
| clothing is 33 1-3 per cent. higher than
elsewhere: that the company pays but
! S4.35 for 80 pounds of giant powder
and sells 25 pounds for $500: that it
gets black powder for from so to 90
cents and sells it for s2.75, and that
the prices of other necessary articles
are correspondence high.
The company's mining stores say
their prices are no higher than in reg
ular retail stores and that the men are
not cOmDelled to purchase from them