The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-16

solved Not to Return to Work Unless So
Ordered by Their Oficers-No Mines at
All Being Worked In Same Counties
Coal Becoming scarcer and Higher Each
Day-Disturbances ~Begun-Two lights
With Nom Men.
Pittsburg, July 13.-There is a lulI in
the miners strike in this district at
t%ributable to the fact that nearly every
mine in the district is idle. To keep
up the enthusiasm and prevent the
strikers from becoming lukewarm in
the cause. however, the officials have
arranged for a series Of meetings In
different sections every day. Three
meetings were held yesterday at Ban
ming, Fayette City and West Newton,
and at each place resolutions We're
adopted not to return to work until
the officials gave the order. This morn
ing, a large meeting was held at Snow
den on the Wheeling division and the
men were unanimous to stand firm for
the SO cent rate. The miners on this
division fear that the company will
soon begin evictions from their houses.
and intimate that if this is attempted
there will be trouble.
News reached the miners headQuar-
tiers this afternoon that the diggers in
the flannel, Warner and Morgan mines,
Beaver county, had thrown down their
picks and Joined the general strike.
The three pits employ about 300 men.
The strike has also spread to Mercer
county. Five mines are idle in that
region today. The men struck for an
advance Of 10 cents per ton.
An effort was made today to resume
work at the Eagle mine at MOnOnga-
hela City. 1t is a cooperative concern,
but the sentiment of a majority of the
stockholders was against resumption
and it was decided to keep the pit
closed until the strike was settled. A
| delegation from Brownsville says the
Knob, Beaumont, Umpire and Albany
mines have closed down and the miners
have joined in the general strike with
a determination to remain out until
the question of wages is satisfactorily
| settled.
National President M. d. Ratchferd,
of the United Mine Workers, is ex-
| pected at Pittsburg tonight or tomor-
l row and will meet the commissioners.
Governor Atkinson, of West Virginia,
| accompanied by his wife and a number
| of state officials, spent the day in Pitts
| burg, en- route to Canada, where they
| will attend the convention of the Ep-
| worth League. Concerning the miners
| strike he said: 1.-The coal strike is not
affecting West Virginia very much and
/ do not believe the main body of our
miners will go out. I do not anticipate
any trouble whatsoever from the strike
in our state, and believe the trouble
all over the country will be speedily
settled by arbitration"
Cincinnati, July ia Times-Star
l cnooio1 from Ro1lajrp Ohio Saws. THE
miners in Schincks mines on the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad were today
| persuaded to stop mining and with the
| closing of these mines tonight all the
| mines in eastern Ohio will be closed.
Terre Haute, July 13.-Today Presi-
dent Knight, Of the Indiana Miners,
was called to Clinton, where 500 men
! who have been working or ar morgan
| lied basis for two years and taking
whatever prices were Offered, are anx-
ious to join the union and help along
with the strike.
In Sullivan county today the Star
City mines posted notices that no
more mining would be done until the
strike was settled. This practically
ends the mining in the county. AID
| vices were received by the miners Of
fcers today recounting efforts off sew
eral operators to secure settlements
with their men at the wages asked. In
each instance all offers were ordered
rejected until after the meeting of the
national executive board, which will be
held at Columbus, Ohio, at an early
date. The strike has already begun
seriously to affect the visible supply of
coal and the prices go a notch higher
every day.
"A special to The Express from DAN
vile, Ills, says: Strife between the
miners commenced in this district
tonight. About 400 to 500 Bel
gfan strikers and other foreign
ers gathered at the Pawnee mine,
and when a. cage full OF colored
miners, who had been ait work, reach
ed h top of the shaft they were as
saulted with different kinds O. weapons,
some using knives and others slaves.
One of h colored miners secured q
bar of iron and a revolver and defend
ed his life. Shots were fired, wound
ing several strikers. This Infatuated
the striking miners and they retaliated
by an exchange of shots, at the same
time retreating to the woods. Later the
strikers attacked a train on the Chi
cago and Eastern Illinois, carrying
working miners to the city. The min
ers inside h coaches opened fire and
about fifty shots were exchanged. It is
reported that one miner was killed.