Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-05
THINKS THE PROSPECT GOOD.
President RRtehfOrd Confident That
the strike Order VIII BE
GenernlIN OkeNeh.

Columbus, o., July 4.-Telegrams received
by President Ratchford. of the United
Mine Workers to-day Indicate that the or
der for a general strike of the miners has
been complied with generally throughout
the mining districts Of Ohio, Indiana. IL
linois and Western Pennsylvania. and in
sections of West Virginia and Kentucky.
II will take several days. however, TO de-
termine with any degree OF accuratenesS
the number of men involved. President
RatchfOrd roughly estimates the number
at 3OO,000 but this is regarded as very lib
eral. He Is pleased with the unanimity
shown by the miners, and says that he
full outcome of the strike. He thinks the
prospects are better than In 1894, when a
general strike was inaugurated. AT that
time the scale Of prices was being paid in
many mining localities. notably West Vir-
ginia. where a majority of the miners con-
tinued at work and thereby greatly weak
ened the strike. He has hopes that the
West Virginia miners may now be brought
into line. inasmuch as they are receiving
wages far below the scale, and their con-
dition is not any better than that OF the
miners in other states. The coal produce
tion of West Virginia has increased so rap
idly in the last few years that the output
Ohio.
caused by the shipment OF West Virginia
coal through Ohio. the Ohio miners en-
deavering to stop this traffic. The rail-
road companies promptly appealed to the
state for protection and almost the entire
Ohio National Guard was placed in the
field. President Ratchford does not believe
there will be any repetition of these trou-
bles in the present strike. Special efforts
are to be made to enlist the sympathy Of
the West Virginia miners President Ratch-
ford Is encouraged to believe that this may
be accomplished by the fact that the min
ers have signified their intention TO strike
IN many places where efforts to enlist their
cooperation have failed on previous oc-
caSions.
President Ratchford has received tele-
grams from number of Pittsburg oper-
atOrs asking permission to operate their
mines at scale prices. These requests are
an injustice not only TO other operators but
TO their miners as well
As to the probable duration Of the strike,
President Ratchford says that be will be
entirely by circumstances. II will
last several weeks at least The miners
are in a better position to withstand a long
strike at this time. as a great many OF
them have garden products on which TO
subsist. and there will be no great hard
ships entailed such as would follow a strike
The fact that there is a fair supply OF
coal in stock and that the demand for To-
nestle consumption Is small will have a
tendency to prOlong the suspension. Tbs
,auss the greatest trouble. The bulk Of
these contracts are held by Pittsburg ope-
rators, but the Ohio operators also have a
lair share. The Ohio operators have not
yet held conference 70 consider the mat
er. but are considerably worried While
hey say the strike is ill-timed, and likely
o fizzle out, they will close down their
mines for short time at least. until they
an determine how general the suspension
s. A partial suspension only in the Pitts
ness. should the Ohio miners refuse to
work.