The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-20

be Protected by PinkertOn Men and CAT
ling Guns-Prcsence of these Expected to
Cause BlOodshed.
Pittsburg, August 1S.-Ths was op-
orators day and from present ap-
pearances they have made a most eff
fectfve move and have nearly, if not
quite, checkmated their opponents, the
striking coal miners. The courts de-
cree today made permanent the pre-
Iininary injunction restraining the
strikers from camping, marching or in
any manner interfering with the New
York and Cleveland Gas Coal Com
pany's miners and has had the effect
Of almost depicting the camps about
those mines, and apparently a general
decentralization among the campers ex-
lists.
In order to follow their advantage.
the operators held a largely attended
meeting tonight at the MOnOngahela
house and arranged for the starting
Of their mines with or without force.
If force seems to be unavoidable, it is
the intention to start certain few mines
at once under the protection of depu-
ties and whatever expense may result
W
owners. This scheme to start the mines
was adopted to break the national
strike in 1894. The operators then
agreed to bear the expense and two
mines were put in operation and the
men were guarded by deputies.
President Dolan, Of the miners or
ganizatiOn, does not believe the move
ment will be q success this time, as
the strikers are more in earnest than
in any former struggles. The opera
tors now talk about their inability to
pay the advance on account of having
taken contracts at the "a cent rate
said he. when they made these
contracts they were fairly warned that
higher rate would be demanded. We
called for conferences and told them
not to make any contracts based on the
low rate for digging. So that there
could be no possibility of a misunder-
standing we issued public notice and
had it printed in the daily papers,
They were told plainly not to make
contracts based on a 81 cent mining
rate. We did not take any advantage
of them, for they knew what was COM
ing. When l spoke of a strike they
merely laughed and said: We will
have you starved out in two weeks
They see now. where they were mis-
taken and want to start, but they will
not succeed. We will establish a camp
attempt is made to operate We will
fight to the bitter end"
Camp Determination, at Turtle Creek
was reduced in numbers today from
200 to 80. The men who We're told to go
home gathered in an angry crowd and
denounced the officials bitterly Secre-
tary William Warner came in for a
large share of vituperation from the
crowd. They demanded of him work
or assistance. He replied rather curt
1y that he would get them jobs in the
work house. After Warner left a num-
Der of the man threatened to return to
their respective homes and go to work
in their mines. They said the strike
was a fizzle. Some Of the men left for
Irwin and Greensburg districts where
they will look for work.
Uriah Dillingham;, in charge of the
camp at Plum Creek, put a damper on
the campers at that place today. He
had just returned from the city where
he heard the courts decision in the in
junction case. He told the men there
would be no more marching and no
need of such a large number of men at
the camp. He advised the men to dis
perse to their respective homes and get
work wherever they could. At this
camp, where yesterday there were 800
men, tonight there are less than 100.
Sandy Creek camp is practically
II
it will be opened again or not. All told
there are less than $50 men now en-
camped about the three mines. 1t is
said the men who are still in the camps
will remain there and will march as
usual in spite of the sheriff and the
courts order. President DOlan said
tonight that his men would continue to
march and if the sheriff arrested them,
other men would take their places at
once. He said he knew the sheriff had
his duty to do if we violated the law,
he will just have to take us to Jail and
punish us like any other criminal. I
sent an order to all of the camps this
afternoon to continue the marching on
the same peaceable lines that we have
been following and l am willing to
abide by the result. We do not intend
to give up an inch of what we have
gained. If we are arrested, we will go
quietly and submit to whatever pun
iShment is dealt out to us, provided
it is proven that we have broken the
law. We do not wish TO swerVe the
sheriff out of the line of his duty. The
small showing of men at the camps
has apparently encouraged the Dear
mits and it is expected they will make
the attempt to start their mines in full
once"
\ meeting of. miners from the Muck
1erat mines waited on President Dick
son of the Mucklerat of J. B. Corey and
asked him if he would open the mine
If they returned at the 81 cent rate He
said he would not and that the mines
would not be opened until the next lake
season.
Progress is reported by the committee
having IN charge the uniformity agree
ment. 1t was announced today that
the solicitor had received the signatures
of about so per cent of the operators
and that it was expected before the
close OF the week to secure almost the
required 95 per cent.
Cleveland, August 1S.-The decision
reached by the operators of the Pitts
burg district at their conference here
last night to open their mines regard
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