The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-07-17
NEARLY ALL OUT
VERY FEW MINERS REM AIN AT
WORK.
Ironclad Contracts, Which Were in
Force In Some of the Mines, Have
Been Wiped Out and the Strike
Made a General O~ne-strong Eff
fort Being Made to Bring About
Cancellation.

P%ittsburg, Pa, July 14.-Beyond the
Strengthening of the miners lines
along the river there has been little
change in the strike situation. The
iron-clad contracts which were in force
at several mines in the Monongahela
valley have been swept out of ex-
istence and the strike has been made
general in the fourth pool. The APP
polio, the Jack Jones and O'NeilPs
Fayette City mines which had been
running with a light force of men and
under iron clads, are idle; the men at
the ChamOuni mine were last to lay
down their tools. The miners along
the river are rejoicing over this vic
tory. The only mine running in this
section is the Equitable. 1t is a
stock company comprising about sev-
enty-ive stockholders, and they are
mining their own coal. The Blythe
Coal company has offered the 69-cent
rate to their men at the Bad Bird
miEe, but the officials will not allow
them to go to work at present. A
mass meeting was held at Fayette City
to look after the strikers interests and
see that no mines sur The men
In the Stickel Hollow mines also came
out, making the suspension in this dis
trict, except at the mines of the New
York s. Cleveland Gas Coal company,
where 1900 men were working. No
effort has yet been made to get these
diggers out, and the miners at other
pits who have laid down their tools
are grumbling at the slowness of Dear
mitt's men in joining the movement.
The hot-heads are advising drastic
measures. They have been kept in
check so far, but there is no telling
when the fever will break out and a
concerted move on Sandy and Plum
creek made. The greatest interest is
now maifested in the scheme to arbi-
trate the strike question. Labor COM
m%issioners and official arbitrators Of
the several states affected are mobiliz-
ing in this city. Invitations have been
sent to the coal operators of, the Pitts
burg district to meet the a%rbitratOrs in
formally and talk over the matter of
settling the strike. Those in touch
with the situation say that the attempt
at Cancellation will simply reopen the
old discussion of President Dearmitt'e
position and the necessity of a price
differential to compete with the COM
pany's stores.
Peace emissaries called at President
Dearnitt's office and it Is said. that he
told them it would be at least a day or
two before he could give them a def
mite answer as to the course of action
he proposed to follow. If the operators
can be brought into line on the con-
ference idea there will be no obstacles
interposed by the miners. President
Ratchford notified the operators pub
licly a few days ago that he was ready
for a conference at any time.
There is q strong indication Of a coal
famine confronting the country with
in the next ten days. 1t is claimed by
conservative operators that the mar
ketable supply at present, which is
placed at 100000 bushels, would
only meet the demands Of the market
for about a month under ordinary con
ditions. With the scarcity of coal al
ready prevailing at the lake ports it is
claimed the supply will not last over
two weeks at the longest. In anticipa-
ton of such a condition the coal OPP
orators are not very anxious to fill Dr.
ders and are holding out for the ad-
vance in price that is expected to re-
suit. The only sourc of supply is
from the river mines as the railroads
are c%onfiscating for their own use all
the coal ready for shipment along their
lines.