The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-08
sTRIIzE OF COAL MESE;ss;.
Advantages Up TO the Present L D.
pnrcntly with the Strii.rrS

Pittsburg, Pa, July 7.-Forty y-eiyht
hours after the Inauguration of ,rc great
coal miners strike, 4 comparison &C
statements from both sides pn&lErd in
ne contest show Favorable results Tor
the diggers. DiscountinS the mining Of
'iclils' announcements, there saem no
luetion that the worltmcn have spcorci
a decided advantage In this Gistr.at. and
1t is believed that as the PittSbugg dis
trict goes, SO goes the country
Conscrva tive estimates now place he
number OF miners striking IN this dis
trict from 10000 to $4,000 men. an in
crease OF about 5000 over Yesterday, ),
record. This leaves, but from 3. 600 10
5000 men still working.
The key 10 the entire situation from
present appearances lies IN the success
or defeat OF the strikers III securing thc
cooperation Of the men now working for
me New York and Cleveland Gas Coal
company. Without these man tho sirllIc
can hardly succeed because they Viii be
ab!r III 4 measure TO supply the demand
| long enough to tide ovc! The present cm-
| harraEainent. d'atl'jck DOlan. president
Q! the fltEhurg district miners, II conf
uent INIT before the present weol. closes
ne VIII have succeeded In gettirGr'nll Of
these men 20 join the ranks OF tia ytyil,-
cTE, and when this result is effected Tho
Dattie Will be practically won
llie operators are just as con Cdcnt OF
success rs the miners are. ana tonight
'"7ucd d. statement claiming :. large
acf:Ssicn Of men in different D0rts; ar
thtst district and IL heavier .hipping ,st
tlan usual. One thing slightly in favor
OF the operators is the freeing of nayl-
GahCn on the MoEongahcia river, which
went into effect to-day Ten million
bushels OF coal, which have been stock
cd In the pools above here awaiting this
event will be brought to this harhor at
once and be available for the present
demand
Notwithstanding the ADVANTAGE
claimed for the OPERATORS the consensus
or opinion appears To he in favor Of Ihe
miners, inaSmuch as the operators can
only hope for temporary relief with
their present facilities. and the miners
officials seem TO be in Z; fair Way Ia
eiectullly cripple even these by con-
stnntly adding to their number from
the ranks of those. remaining ut work.
Leading operators in the district ad-
init that the miners have succeeded in
getting more men to strike than they
expected but say they alf. not worry
ing over the outlook and that the
strike win not last II week None of
them are pressed for coal and have Of
fers from operators whose miners have
not joined In lhc movement, to hold
tliem out. Ex-senator Camden, OF Wost
Virginia, has plenty Of coal, and Is now
trying to lease cars TO take 1t to tho
market. Pittsburg operators whose
mines are idle llavo requests for thtsIl
individual cars One operator sent 100
cars to West Virginia yesterday
The strike has already benefited the
West Virginia operators. and # it con-
tlnucS for q few weeks they will be en-
mbled 10 dispose OF q large amount .sof
coal at good prices.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railway
company, acting under its legal right
to-day contiscatcd a. number Of cars OF
coal which had been shipped by Henry
1'lotrSheim TO the United States engi:
neer for Davis Island and Hell's Island
dams. The coal is badly needed by tho
government and also by the railroad
company. The United States engineer
offered to compromise with the Balti-
more and Ohio if it would release half
OF the coal. If the offer is not accepted
the question will be submitted ITO the
United States District Attorney to de
terinine where the coal shall go,