Connecticut western news., 1897-08-12
RAIN ON THECAMPERS
THE STRIKE OF THE COAL MINERS
 NEARING A CRISIS.
District President Dolan Accuses Opern- tors of Pittsburg District With Having Broken Faith With the strfkers-De Armitt Makes a Speech to the Men.

Pittsburg. Aug. 11.-A crisis is fast approaching in the miners movement against the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal company. The next few days should determine whether or not the strikers object will be realized. Yes terday's work is not viewed in disappointing light by the campers at Turtle Creek, Sandy Creek and Plum Creek, yet the happenings were not of the most encouraging sort. They had to contend with their first spell of bad weather. A heavy rain drenched the camps and prevented the marchers from carrying out their regular pro- gramme.
 At Plum Creek the rain and contin- ued absence of a band kept the men in their quarters, with the result that It. tie if any missionary work was under taken. The storm also had the effect of preventing the march to the Spring Hill mines, between Wilmerding and Wall Station, which are owned by AL exander Dempster. The only march or the day was made by the 150 men at Camp Determination, who left camp shortly after o'clock, and, marching close to the Oak Hill tipples, spent two hours in the vicinity of the miners homes.
 There was not even ordinary excite ment attached to the Invasion along Thompsons Run.
 A summary of the days developments finds the conditions much the same as they were the day before, save that the company claims to have made fur ther break in the strikers ranks at Turtle Creek md Sandy Creek.
 Clamoring For the Leaders
 The Plum Creek mine was running considerable coal yesterday, and the number of men reported at work equals that of Monday. The failure to hold a meeting at Camp Isolation was another disappointing feature of the day, and the men are loudly clamoring for the presence of the officials. The batch Of Italians that struck camp Monday are expected to do much good among their fellow countrymen at work in the Plum Creek mine, but active labors are being withheld until today, when 1t will be positively known whether or not the men propose remaining away from the pits.
 District President Patrick Dolan has accused the operators of the Pittsburg district with having broken faith with the striking miners in this district. He
  the United Mine Workers in their fight in the central Pennsylvania district, where it is proposed to close down all the mines. He cannot predict when the strike will be settled, but claims his organization can stand the strike until the last of September.
 Promises Not Kept.
 The operators, he said. had promised to pay the price when the supply at De Armitts mines had been cut off. This has been done, but the operators had failed to keep their part of the contract The miners who have been working regularly at Oak Hill mines have been paid. Those who joined the strikers did not get their cash, the com pany holding it, as under the contract the men forfeited their wages by strik- ing. There was no excitement. Be- tween 300 and 400 employees were on hand, but few of them received any money MT. De Armitt made a speech to the men, telling them he sympathized with them and that the money was withheld, not because the company wanted 1t, but because 1t had to carry out the terms of the contract He de- nounced the midnight marching and the encampment and said it was a blot up- on the history of the country that the laws are not enforced and such move ments stopped.
 An epidemic of typhoid fever pre- vails In the Turtle Creek valley, and 1t is feared that the disease will break out in the miners camp. The health authorities have warned the citizens not to use the water from Turtle creek, as 1t Is known to contain typhoid germs.
 Turtle creek is the only stream within several miles of the camp, and the strikers are compelled to use the water for drinking, cooking and bathing pur- poses.