The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-07
CRISIS NEAR At HAND.
Situation in the Great Coal
Strike Critical = Threats
Against the Colored Men
in Camp al Unity.

PITTSBURG, Pa, Aug. 7, 1S97.-Pend-'
ing developments late in the day the min
ers in the three camps besieging the De
Armit mines are resting. At no time DUR
ing the strike has the situation been so
critical, but no one who has been in the
district every day since the commence
ment of the marches believes that the
| miners will be drawn into fight. If
trouble does come it will not be between
strikers and deputies, but between strik-
ers and the negroes in the camp at Unity
who are employed on the new Pfttsburg
and Bessemer Railroad. The deputies
will be drawn into quell the trouble and
three cornered fight is not improbable.
In the camp of the negroes depraved
men and women are together in tents
and huts, every one of which is a speak
easy.
They have terrorized the community for
miles around, and shooting affrays are of
almost daily occurrence. The strikers
camp is separated from that of the ne
groes by township road, leading from
Unity to Williamsburg. Already there
have been several brawls between the
two parties. The negroes are walking
arsenals, while the strikers have no
weapons
Thomas B. De Armit says he has out
witted the strikers and made a gain at
his Plum Creek mines He states there
are now 317 men at work there. Mr..
De Arrnit denies the story that payday
has been deferred at Sandy and Plum
Creek The men will be paid today and
Monday.
The expected Importation of negroes
from Virginia for Oak Hill has not taken
place as vet. but the strikers are keeping
a strict lookout for them and think they
can be persuaded not to work when they
do arrive.
An effort made yesterday to cause coal
miners in the coke region ito strike, failed.
About forty strikers went from the Smock
mines to Oliver, Fayette county, and
made a demonstration. They ask the
Oliver miners to strike, but the latter re-
fused. Some of the workmen wished to
drive the visitors away, but they made
no move, and the strikers departed prom
Using to come back in added numbers.
The managers of the mines called ON the
Sheriff for protection from this threat
ened invasion. It is said the next pay
of the Oliver men will be the largest ever
made there
The miners of the Grinder mines, of
captain TICKS, DIT LeecupurS, Ed, nave
struck. They say their coal is screened
before it is weighed, and that it is sold to
fill contracts for operators whose men are
on strike. A convention is called for
Monday at Leechburg.
Concerning the many stories being cir
culated stating that the National Guard
has orders to mobilize at Turtle Creek,
General John A. Wiley said
''Seven-eights of the ruInor is false and
the rest is very doubtful. The stories are
absolutely without foundation. No order
of any kind has been issued, and, more
over, none is contemplated
Copies of the uniformity agreement has
been mailed by the Commissioners and
are now in the hands of every operator
in the district. 1t is thought a large num-
her of signatures already have been at
tached to the document. After suff-
cient time has been allowed the operators
to think over the matter carefully per-
sonal visits will be paid by the commit
tee to those who still refuse to sign.