The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-13

paying for the balance OF the lake sea-
son, or longer. do not think he viii
agree 10 this,
However. II DeArmitt agrees TO give
up the fiFht. / think a settlement could
be reached very speedily. But have
no hope that he viii. Whatever can pc
said about DeArmitt, his position on
these points has been fought out con-
slAtently along one line. and 40 mol
spprehend that the interference OF oul-
side influences win have any eneet
Peace emlssarles called at President
DeArmItts office to-day and II Is eaid
that he told them II would be at least
a day or two before he cnuid give them
q definite answer as 70 the course OF ae-
tIon he proposed 70 follow, II the op-
orators can be brought Into line on the
conference idea there win benoobstAeles
interposed by the miners, President
Ratehford notified the operators pri-
yatelya few days ago that he was ready
for conference at any time,
This afternoon he wired the arbitra-
tors that the miners officials would
meet them tomorrow.
A PROBABLE COAL FAMINE
There Is q strong indication OF a coal
famine confronting the country within
the next ten days. It is claimed by con-
servatlye operators that the marketable
supply at present. which IS placed At ten
million bushels, would be only able to
meet the demands OF the market for
about a month under ordinary condi-
tions. With the scarcity OF coal already
prevailing at the lake ports, II Ia claim
ed the supply will not last over two
weeks at the longest. In anticipation
OF such a condition the coal operators
are not very anxious TO fill orders and
are holding out for the advance In price
that Is expected to result. The only
source Of suppiy Is from the river
mines, as the railroads are contseating
for their own use all the coal ready for
SHIPMENT along their lines This order
was Issued last week and with the ex-
ceptlon Of permitting the railroad opera
tors iilllng orders for coaling vessels at
the lake ports, no coal Is allowed to
leave the district. the prospect OF a
famine Is declared to be certainty.
There has been a marked increase in
the price OF coal within the past few
days and It Is claimed tlat a 10 cent rate
per bushel in boat load lots will be
reached within the present week. The
retail dealers, as well as the operators
in general, concede that famine Is I'M
mlnent, and look for prices to advance
beyond the limit reached during the
previous general strike OF the miners In
1894.
Many of the operators, however, still
claim that there - plenty Of coal on
hand. but fall to state why the price has
increased more than $50 per cent since
the suspension. Before the strike began
coal was quoted at 70 cents; to-day the
highest price paid was 81 So This was
for the best quality and free on board,
RIVER OPERATORS scHEME;-It
was stated this evening that number OF
the river operators, who have no facilities
for loading their stocks on railroad cars,
are agitatlng the advisability OF placing
q floistlng machine on the south side of
the Monongahela river for the purpose OF
transferring coal into Pittsburgh & Lake
Erie freight cars. BY this method II Is
expected to supply some Of the lake
trade. II such scheme was carried out
they would get the highest price they
have in years. Nearly all OF the coal In
the pools was stored In anticipation OF
the river being declared free, and 1t was
intended TO send It TO the southern mar
kets. Now that there Is no boating
stage and the market Is open In the rail-
trade, the proposition Is looked on with
favor One OF the subordinate miners
officials was asked what the miners
would do In the event OF 100000 bushels
OF coal being put on the market In the
manner referred TO.
''You may say that the river operators
might find Il q very difficult tob," he said.
Men who handle coal for living are In
sympathy with this movement; and we
would have little trouble In getting them
TO stop work II they should start, We
have no fears In that direction as yet"
In addition TO the Keeling mine, which
started to-day at the 69-cent rate. the
Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon mine re-
sumed Mt the name rate. The company
has eighty men at work and are now pro-
duclng about 400 tons OF coal day. The
Keeling Company has lbO men az work
and say they can produce about 500 tons
n day. While at both OF these mines the
rate demanded by the strikers Is being
paid, Efforts viii no doubt be made to-
morrow TO get the men out, as the miners
officials are opposed to allowing any men
10 work until a majority OF the operators
have granted the advance. The superin-
tendent OF the Castle Shannon mine said
his miners were satisfied With their
places and II they were interfered with
trouble would result.
It was stated by some OF the operators
that the miners employed by the New
York & Cleveland Company would come
out tomorrow morning, but this ls not
regarded as probable.
At mass meetlng held OF West New
ton, to-day. Vice President Mckay. OF
the miners association, said he believ-
cd the West virginia mines should be
closed down within two weeks. IL they
are not, he said, the railroad men would
be called upon to bring work to a
standstllI In that state.
The operators claim the railroads Will
supply cars SUFFICIENT IN carry the en-
tire output OF the West Virginia nelds
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