The record-union., 1897-07-05
Its Success Depends Largely on Miners
From the Pittshurg District.
If They Fail to Refrain From
Working, the Movement Will
Be Fai1ure-Operators Are
Making No Effort to Conciliate
the Miners and Say That More
Mines Have Gone Into the
Hands of the Sheriff This Year
Than Any Previous One.

PITTSBURG, July 4.-The coal min
ers strike will be on tomorrow. The
success of the struggle for higher
wages in five States depends largely
upon the miners in the Pittsburg dis
trict. If they fail to refrain from
working the movement will be fall
ure.
Fully 100 mines were represented at
the miners convention on Saturday by
fifty-five delegates. This is larger
attendance than there has been at any
convention since the great strike OF
1894. The resolution adopted was
strong enough for the emergency. A
resolution was also adopted requiring
Governor Hastings to sign the weigh
ing and coal commission bills passed
by the Legislature and now before
him.
One of the significant points about the
convention Saturday was the fact that
representatives were present from the
mines where ironclad contracts and
signed agreements exist.
The mines include the First Pool of
F. L. Robbins & Co., Borland Mine of
the Panhandle Coal Company, Snow
den and Gastonville mines of the Pitts
burg and Chicago Coal Company and
the Oak Hill, Plum Creek and Sandy
Creek mines of the New York and
Cleveland Gas Coal Company These
employ almost 5000 men and the indi-
cations are that if the men at one of
these mines refuse to quit, all the dig
gers at the others will act accordingly.
A strong effort is being made to get
the cooperation of the River miners
in the coming fight If they work
they can cut quite figure in supply
ing coal as the fuel for local points
can all be supplied by water routes.
The operators are making no effort
to conciliate the miners. Not an oper-
ator can be found who will say the
miners are entitled to what they de-
mand. 50 cents a ton. No effort will
be made to operate the mines unless it
should be the River mines, hence no
trouble is anticipated
Great apprehension is felt as to what
course the vast number of foreigners
will take in the strike. Many of these
speak no English and care less for the
land of their adoption. They do not
conform to the customs of American
speaking miners and the latter have
of the points made by the operators is
that more mining companies have gone
into the hands of the Sheriff this year
than during any year in the history Of
the trade
There are too many mines.' said
Patrick Dolan, mot too many miners
1t is surplus of opera tors that causes
such sufferings and low wages"
The officials of the United Mine
Workers Of Pfttsburg had meeting TO-
day and heard reports from various
parts of the district. Each of these
indicated that the men would Quit
work. The question of securing sus-
tenance for the vast army of idle men
is the most serious question confront
ing the officials.
Inc organization has no money in its
treasury. The miners have been una
Die TO save anything and only those
VINO nave little garden patches will be
aple TO live Independently during the
suspension of work.
The exodus from the fourth noa1 to
west virginia has begun. The west
virginia operators are hiring miners as
fasr as they apply for work Those
VINO wish immunity from trouble seel,
saIety oy hight into West Virginia
Mnere the miners will work unmoIested
Inc scores OF small mines in Beaver.
Mercer, Lawrence, Cambria and Other
counties. which have been practicallv
iole' VIII resume operations in full to
stpply coal to factories and shops in
.heir districts Taking the Canal mine
III beaVer County into consideration.
the 1hompsons run in Lawrence Conn
y ana the numerous mines in Mercer
county, there will be no shutdown ~
industries in these counties. During
tne strike OF 1894 all these mines closed