Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-30

Resist Eviction.
Pittsburg, Pa, August 29.-Before
going to the St. Louis convention to-
night. Patrick Dolan, District Presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers, ex-
pressed himself very freely concerning
/ the statement Of the press committee
Of the coal operators Of yesterday
( The committees statement charges NJ.
! D. Ratchford the President, with
making assertions that are untrue;
give the details of the offers made
! by the operators and shifts the
burden of the blame on Ratchford.
1T is unfair TO the miners and their
officials to have such statements go
before the public, for they are mis-
leading and, in the main, untrue" said
Dolan. Let me tell you something
concerning what passed between us at
that conference. When Ratchfod had
given his ultimatum. and the opeators
were excited, and some of them very
much out of humor, I took the floor.
/ I told them that looked in the face OF
| many operators who had repeatedly
/ told me that if the miners officials
/ succeeded in bringing about a suspen-
/ sion in certain mines that were pay
/ ing a lower rate, they would agree not
only to pay 90 cents. but 81 a ton. l
told them that we had brought about
! the suspension they asked for, and
they knew I referred to the New York
and Cleveland Gas Coal Company 5
mines. 1t seemed absurd to them to
accept our proposition to go TO work
at the 90 cent rate pending arbitra-
ton. explained to them that we
had brought about suspension IN
the mines that seemed to bother them
so much, and wanted them to keep
their promises.
of course, it is well known that
they would not listen to our PROPOSE
ton. / then appealed 60 them to use
jtnetr enorts TO bring about "a confer
ence Of operators and miners in all
/ the States involved. told them that
everyone present should make an hon
est effort to bring about such con-
1 ference and assured them that the
miners officials would do all in their
power to bring the parties interested
( together. If. after every effort had
| been exhausted TO bring about such
conference had failed, l told them
/ that l would be willing to cut loose
and act Independently for the Pitts
/ burg district and have the support Of
/ the local organization. Now, if this
! ~as not fair. would like to know Of
an argument against it. They refused
to be as good as their word on the
first proposition, and on the second
did not even exhibit desire to bring
about a conference of the various
f States. as l suggested. We are in ia
vor of bringing the question to an
honorable and fair settlement, and
on lust basis. This effort to put
the odium on the miners on the arbi-
tration question is as unfair as it is
unjust and the public should know it. -
1t has been decided to start a cam
paign among the miners of the Wheel
ing division of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad. The miners formerly en-
ploved in the Anderson, Hackett. Ger
mania. Nottingham, Snowden, CASTOR
Vile and first pool mines will hold a
+ mass meeting at Finleyville Wednes-
dav morning. 1t was learned to-day
that the Gastonville miners who were
served by an official of the Pittsburg
and Chicago Gas Coal Company with
/ notices 10 vacate their houses will re-
/ sist eviction. Nearly all Of them have
forfeited wages aggregating $4,000
when they went out on strike under
conditions imposed upon them by the
. ironclad contracts they had signed.
They claim the money Is due them
and they intend TO remain in the
4 houses until the accounts are squared.
/ The meeting Wednesday is TO be ad-
dressed by NJ. ?. Garrick, Cameron
/ Miller and others.
-O---
uTrTT NOT pC THERE