Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-13
SITUATION is GRAVE
Miners Strike Likely to Cause Coal
Famine.
WEST VIRGINIA men RESTLESS
An Operator Says They viii Prob
ably Quit Work.
STRIKE IN TENNESSEE

CLEVELAND, Ohio. July ls-wi.hin
foriy-eight hours developments of a very
definite character are expected to take
place i'm the West Virginia coal fields
leading operator received a lonS-d.stance
telephone message at 1o o'clock this morn
Ing stating that nine organizers had just
left Pittsburs for the West Virginia coal
fields. A person who occupies n high OFF,
cial position i'm the Mine Workers Union
was at the Pttsburg end of the 'phonc
You may look fer some thing startling
in that direction within the next forty
eight hours, he said. Reliable adlices
which L have received this morning con-
vince me the West Virginia miners will
come cut. All they wait for is little urc-
ing from the union. / am free to confess
TO you that while 1 expected many men
would cone out 1 never hoped for such a
complete and overwhelming victory as
this"
The foregoing message was repeated to a
reporter who was stan ding at hand by the
operator who received IL.
in Operators Plain Talk.
The operators now urge upon their in
terviewers that under no circumstances
mcst their names be used in connection
with the information they have supplied.
A leading operator made a plain statement,
a startling statement, in fact, this morn
ing, but insisted his name must not be
used
rs there not some parts of your state
nlent which 1 may accredit 10 you?' was
asked.
NO. You see. if 1 talked for publication
L would have to say to you just the OF
posite of what 1 have said You apprc-
ciate that thSre are many reasons why
would not E.ant my name to appear as ad-
mitting all these facts.
Since Saturday the coal strike has
Sumed a very grave aspect. but a full reali-
zation of the change did not reach CleVc-
land operators and dealers until today.
Excepting a few operators who had some
inside information. they were disposed 10
speak lightly of the matter, and loudly de-
clare that there was coal on hand-more
than enough to supply the country,
isardless of the outcome of the strike.
Confidence Has Disappeared.
Today all this seeming or pretended con-
fdence had disappeared. Several operators
went to Pittsburg yesterday to attend the
voluntary conference of the state arbi;ra-
tors One of those, whose knowledge OF
the premises is above question. said today:
The situation is very grave. ana I antici-
pate some very startling developments
within the next forty-eight hours. / be-
lieve the West Virginia miners will come
out. anu mat VIII make the te-uD pr3Cu-
cally complete. for the strikers will then
concentrate all their efforts on DE Armit;'s
men.
"A small amount of coal is now coming
from the mines along the Pennsylvania ma N
line, and from the coke regions. but in
comparatively insignificant quantities. |
think il will be shut off entirely very soon
From what / could learn yesterday. AT
fittsburg. / do not hesitate to say that in
my belief the railroads will hesitate to haul
West Virginia and De Arrnitts mines coal
Dhe engineers and trainmen ara regarding
the situation with lowering brows, =. NJ
Arthurs statement TO the contrary not
withstanding.
The supply of coal on hand is very
short and 4 look for another sharp ad-
vance in price shortly. Saturday coal
which was loaded at Pittsburg for $1.o5 TO
Sl-Jo {. o. b., is now held at sl1a De-
livered to Cleveland, the price is So.Gl Chi
cago is buying freely and paying high
prices. 1 do not think the supply will hold
out more than a week longer