The herald., 1897-07-10
THE LABOR LEADERS CONFER
But THE PROCEEDINGS ARE
KEPT SECRET
inc nm Are Firmly Convinced That
Tntr Cause Will Ultimately
Be Won
Associated 'ress Special Wire.


tion of the nners' strike tonight shows
but little diret change from yesterday.
The principal movement made by the
strikers today vas the securing Of a |
conference or te national leaders of |
the several powsful labor organiza-
tions of the countA with the nurnose IN
view or devlslng 'ays and means to
assist those VINO az making what is |
considered by all of hem the s,,nreme
effort of the wage adj Ancement
1t is known that consrted action wiI, |
be taken at once to makthe s,1snension
of mining in West Virsnia comnlete |
which, if successful, VII kill off the !
most effective enemy the trikers have
to encounter. 1t was thu field that
broke the strike in 1894, and 1. effort will
be spared to bring it into siiection al
this time.
To supplement the confereno of This |
evening special meeting of t. State
Labor league has been called for .,ndav
night in this city, at which frther
means of support will be devised.
The greatest gathering of labor nd |
ers that ever assembled in this couirv
city tonight to devise means to ASST
the miners in their contest for increased
wages. The conference was called sud-
denly, but the officials responding repre-
sent nearly every branch of organized
labor in the United States. Those pres
ent were: Samuel Gompers, president
of the American Federation of Labor;
M. d. Ratchford, national president Of
bo TTx;f foJ of
M M. Garland, president of the Anal
gamated Association Of Iron and Steel
Workers; Stephen Madden, secretary of
the Amalgamated association; J. M.
Hughes, first vice president of the As-
sociation of Metal Trade; j. M. Coula-
han, national secretary Of the Journey
men Plumbers association; M. P. Car
rick, president of the Brotherhood of
Painters and Decorators: T. R. Thomas,
president of the National Pattern Max
ers league; w. B. Mahon, president Of
the Amalgamated Association of Street
Railway Employees; Patrick Dolan, dis
trict president of the United Mine Work
ers of America, and w. M. Warner, dis
trict secretary of the United Mine
Workers.
The session was secret, and it was al
most midnight before it was over. The
press committee, after informal dis
cussion, reports were made by Messrs.
Ratchford, Dolan and Warner in regard
to the situation of the movement, and
it was demonstrated that the suspension
was practically general in the competi-
tive bituminous coal district, excepting a
few points in West Virginia. 1t was
realized that the situation in West Vir-
49,,
the suspension should become absolutely
general and success assured. 1t was
determined that efforts be made on the
part of those present to secure the CO.
operation and practical aid of organized
labor for the struggling miners. All the
circumstances warranted the firm con-
viction that the miners will ultimately
achieve victory, and to this end the aid
of labor and the sympathy of the public
is invoked.
We urge and advise that a conference
be held by the representative of the
miners and operators with the view of
arriving at a settlement of the present
suspension
Notwithstanding the positive an
nouncement by the committee that the
statement furnished the press covered
all the proceedings of the conference it
is known that an organized effort to Sc
cure a general suspension of mining in
West Virginia was decided upon. After
thorough canvass of the situation it
was agreed that the West Virginia min
ers held the key to the situation, and
without their united support the success
of the general movement would be great
ly jeopardized.
HANNA'S MEN OUT
CLEVELAND, July 9-The situation
In this city is becoming desperate over
the coal strike. Cleveland railroads are
becoming bolder in confiscating coal, and
those who depend upon regular supply
are becoming anxious. Several plants
are preparing to shut down for lack of
fuel!
The surprise of the day came when
Dan r. Hanna, manager for M. A.
Hanna & CO.. received message stat
ing that every single miner employed at
the company's mines had gone out The
Hanna people have been confident of
their ability to hold their men. Infor-
nation received here shows that the
shutdown of the Wheeling division of
the Baltimore and Ohio railway is alb
solute.
uhless coal begins coming from Cleve-
land in few days the situation in this
city will be serious. The lighting COM
panies fear the city will be. left in dark
ness. The director of public works Is
alarmed over his ability to keep the
water supply going. The street railway
companies fear suspension of travel
and the manufacturing concerns with
orders to fill are fearful lest their plants
will have to shut down for want of fuel.
There is strong probability that the
street railways and the suburban cleo
trio railways may have to shut down for
want of coal.
DID NOT WORK.
WHEELING, July 9-Although 1t was
announced that the Wheeling and Lake
Erie employees would resume work in
Dillon this morning, and that miners
would be protected by United States
Marshals, not miner entered the mine.
The men decided if it was necessary to
be protected they would not work. An
attempt will be made to secure other
miners and no trouble is anticipated.
The Mayhem Case
SANTA CRUZ. July 9.-This morning
the attorneys for the defense in the may
hem cases against George Plyler and M