The herald., 1897-07-09
NO COAL DUG
On the Wheeling Division
of the B. and O.
MINES COMPLETELY TIED UP
AND THE STRIKE rs STEADILY
SPREADING
The Operators Still Deny the Miners
Claims, but Coal Supplies Are
Already Growing Short
Associated Press Special Wire.


that the amount of coal dug today on the
Wheeling division of the Baltimore and
Ohio railway would not fill one flat car.
Such complete shutdown as exists in
this district, SO soon after the inausur
alton of the strike is admitted sur
prise to people living in that section. A
number of miners were at work yester-
day, the ma ajority of them in the pits of
the Pittsburg and Chicago Gas and Coal
company at Snowden and Gastonville,
but today it is doubtful if the diggers at
work along the Wheeling line would
number fifty.
A careful review of the situation
proves the assertion of the, miners Off
cials that the Wheeling division is solid
ly advocating strike. All mines above
Finleyville are completely tied up. The
big first pool mines of the Robbins COM
pany are completely closed. There is
doubt as to whether or not the Slavs
would return to work after the holidays,
but this has been dispelled and the for
eigners seem as enthusiastic as any on
the strike question.
Diggers at Gastonville and Snowden
have all been working under ironclad
agreements, and as by this is meant the
forfeiture of ten per cent. of their wages
held back since the first of the year by
the firm if they quit work, the strikers
were in doubt as to whether they could
be- induced to joirl the movement. At a
meeting last night however, it was de-
cided to come cut for the district rate,
and today the miners were practically
idle.
By their action, it is said, the men
lose nearly $4,000 in percentages.
The miners officials are elated over
their success on Wheeling division.
1t is reported that operators ON this
division have advertised for me to fill
the places of strikers. If an attempt is
made to resume with non union men, it
is feared there will be serious trouble.
About a third of the full quota of dig
gers were at work at the Panhandle
mines of M. A. Hanna & company today.
This is an increase over yesterday and
is due to the fact that the firm posted
notice to the effect that if the men did
not return to- work today the money due
them on the ironclad contracts, would
be detained. The amount, it is said, ag-'
gregates $4,000. In the first pool the men
who are under contract also came out.
victory, are now preparing to make
. move against the mines of the New
York and Cleveland Coal Gas company.
They express confidence in their ability
to bring these mem out before the end
of the week and them the suspension of
this district will be- complete. Then
stock extension work will proceed east
ward and mines shipping to the sea-
board will be attacked.
An effort will be made among the an
thracite producers to supply in part the
need for coal among the bituminous con-
sumers The miners are watching this
phase of the struggle with great care.
Any intimation of increased output
among the anthracite mines will result
in immediate strike agitation in those
fields.
Coal operators dispute the claims of
miners officials as to the situation on the
Monongehaia river
There are probably six or seven thou
sand idle river miners" said one, "but
they cannot be called strikers, for the
majority of them have not had work for
several weeks. There are now al least
100000 bushels of coal loaded in harbor
and in pools.
"There could be no coal famine in the
local markets with his supply on hand"
THREATENED TROUBLE
CINCINNATI, O., July S.-Acting un-
der the instructions of United States
Marshal Devandey, who is upon the
scene of the threatened strike troubles
at Dillonvale mines, Deputy Marshal
HEIR swore in a posse of deputies and
left for Wheeling today, the marshal
hastily summoning a posse and starting
for the scene of the threatened trouble.
IN TENNESSEE
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, July 8.-All
miners at Baron Fork, Skunk Fork
Heenwood and Glenmary Tenn, on the
Cincinnati Southern railway, are on
strike, and there is tolk of a strike at the
Soddy, Tenn, and Chattanooga district.
FEARS OF FAMINE
CLEVELAND, o., July S.-The man.
ufacturers of this district are much
concerned over the strike situation and
are beginning to dread a coal famine.
Railroads continue today to confiscate
coal consigned to factories, and a num-
ber of concerns throughout the city are
cramped for fuel.
STRIKERS CLAIMS
COLUMBUS, Ohio, July S.-The United
Mile workers headquarters report
from 125,0OO to 100000 men out. This is
all who were at work, except in West
Virginia, opposite the Flemington and
Wheeling districts
Bellaire (Ohio) dispatch says Six
hundred miners, chiefly Poles, started
to work at Dillon mine No. this morn
ing, under the protection Of United
States Marshals. Some were induced by
the committee to come out but the min
ers are quiet and no trouble appears i'm
minent.
THE BISHOP WILL SERVE
NEW YORK, July 8.-A dispatch to
the Journal and Advertiser from London
says: The first information Bishop Pot
ter has had of the great coal strike in
America and that the men desired him
to act as arbitrator was given him by
a representative of the Journal and Ad-
vertiser. The Bishop did not hesitate an
instant when asked if he would act.
Il will cut my visit here very short and
so back Immediately" he said, "if these
men want me to act for them"
Bishop Potter refused to commit him
self to any expression Of opinion with
regard to the merits of the controversy,
on the ground that he was not sufl-