The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-21
OPERATORS STATEMENT.
RatchfOrd Accused of Using Pittsbu
Ng3ro-s Ne :. cas-. uo,-


Miners as "a Cat's-Pavv.
PITTSBURG, Aug. 2O.-The coal opera
tors, at their meeting tonight. after wait
ing in vain for an answer from President
Ratchford to their telegram asking for a
conference here tomorrow to arbitrate the
strike question, issued a statement to the
public shortly after midnight. The state
ment was given out after a day of waiting
and was precipitated by the following reso-
luton, passed to-day:
Resolved, That a committee be author
lied, in case the miners leaders agree to
confer and no satisfactory basis can be
agreed on in said conference to propose
that the matter in dispute between the
miners and operators of the PittSburg dis
trict be submitted to arbitration, provided
the miners are put to work at once pending
the decision of said hoard of arbitration"
The operators statement says:
The operators now have exhausted every
effort to make amicable settlement, but
the miners refuse either to meet in con-
by Mr.. Ratchford occasions great surprise
to, the operators He insists in bringing in
operators Of other States under no
circumstances will attend a joint
conference In making this de-
settlement in hope that he may bring to
his aid all the labor organizations of the
country and assume such political influence
ing on a settlement of the strike without
regard to the merits of the case. He has
always insisted that the Pittsburg district
is the key to the situation and the opera
tors hold out to him olive branch from
which is suspended the key he sought. Mr..
Ratchford is using the Pittsburg miners
as a cats-paw to scratch political chest
nuts off the idle coal tipples in this dis
trict He knows very Well that delay In
settlement will deprive Pittsburg miners of
work, which will be done during the winter
by miners Of the Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Iowa regions.
MIR. Ratchford must arrange a confer
ence at once for settlement or arbitration
of the troubles In the Pittsburg coal dis
trict, or he must stand accused of incon-
sistency and insincerty. Public opinion
will certainly hold him responsible for the
restitution which must inevitably prevail
in the district during the coming winter"
This morning the striking miners en-
camped at Turtle Cree K stole a march on
the sheriff's deputies guarding the Oak Hill
mine. While the deputies were waiting Tor
the roads leading to the mines and wonder
ing why they did not come, the strikers
We're making long detoH it f SO as th to "a aR
side and they succeeded in getting there
without being observed. Their appearance
ready to go to work, and the deputies were
! hurriedly sent for. While they were COM
ing the strikers told the men that there
would be a concert in their camp tonight,
and invited them to attend. When posse
of deputies, commanded by Deputy Sher1fr
David Hanna, appeared copy or the IN
junction was read to John Large the lead
err of the strikers and they left the place:
One hundred and seventy-fve men marched
from Camp Isolation this afternoon. They
marched to Unity, and were stopped at
Plum Creek by the deputies. The injunc-
ton was read to them, but they continued
to Center two miles past the dead line.
They then marched to New Texas and re-
turned with the farmers from that section,
who were making a demonstration in SYM
patty with the strikers. The strikers were
Joined by their wives, and about five hun
dred people were present at a meeting
which was addressed by Mrs. Jones, of Chi
cago Captain Mckay and others. Deputy
Sam Young telegraphed for the sheriff to
come to the scene. Wholesale arrests are
expected to follow the arrival of the sher-
iff and, as both sides are wrought to the
highest pitch there is no telling what the
result may be.
There was trouble at the strikers camp,
near the Bunola mine, during the morning,
and a number of strikers were arrested for
violating the injunctions. Arrests were
also made at Camp Victory. near Canons-
burg, Pa, constables appearing in camp
with warrants for twelve men, but finding
only two of them. The others had antici-
pated arrest and left the camp before the
officers arrived.
At the ChamOuni mines on the Mononga-
hela river, many miners have been evlcted
from the company houses and others have
been served with notice to Vacate at once.
The families are in destitute circumstances,
and are being fed by the residents of Cali
fornia and other towns along the river.