The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-07-15
IN THE pIIsrsBURG DISTRICT.
Only 1900 Miners nt Work-Hot
Heads Growing Restless.

Only 1900 Miners at Work-Iiot
| Heads Growing Restless.
Pittsburc. July 12.-Beyond the
strengthening of the miners lines aio,s
the rivers there is little change in the
strike situation. The iron-clad contracts
which were in force at several mines III
the Monongahela valley were out OF eY-
| istence today and the strike was maze
general in the fourth pool. The miners
| along the river are rejoicing over this VIC
| tory. The only mine reported in opera
ton in the region is the Equitable, at
I Webster. 1t is stock company, COM
prising about seyenty-hve stockhOlucIS'
and they are mining their own coal. Inc
Rlythe Coal company has offered %
cents to their men at the Red Bird MINES.
but the officials will not allow them to 90
to work at present.
A mass meeting was held at Fayette
CITY this afternoon to look AFTER lhe
strikers interests and see that no mines
! resume. The men in the Stlckel Hollow
mines, l.. Il. Washington Coal company
also came out today, making the suspeh-
sion complete in this district, except at
tho mines of the New York and Clevc-
land Gas Coal company where about
1000 are working. No effort has yet
bpon made to get those diggers out, ana
the miners at other pits have laid down
their tools and are grumbling at me
slownpss of the Dcarmitt men In joining
the movement. ,.;
The hot heads are advising drastic
measures They have been kept III
check so far. but there Is no telling Wnel,
the fever will break out and concerted
move on Sandy and Plum creek made.
The greatest interest is now manifested
n the scheme to- arbitratc the strike ques-
tion Labor commissioners and Ofl-
cial arbitrators of the several states al
fected. with the exception OF hentuckF
and Tennessee. are mobilizing in this
city. The state of Ohio is the only one
which has regularly appointed Doard
of arbitrators. 1t exists for Just sucn
emergencies rs this, and is naturally emil
nently well prepared for the work. Most
of the others interested are labor com
missioners and industrial statisticians
who are also well able to act in the ca.
pacity of arbitratOrs from the, nature OF
their work in keeping in touch with the
working classes generally. Invitations
have been sent the coal operators i'll
Pittsburg district to meet the arbitrators
informally and talk over the matter OF
settling the strike. James Young, rep
resenting the NJ. A. Hanna interests,
came on from Cleveland tins morning ana
was in consultation with the peace
makers at the Seventh Avenue hotel.
One or two of the smaller operators
dropped in to look over the situation. but
no large conference has yet been held.
1t is expected by the arbtrators that a
representative number of local opera
tors will be gotten together within the
next twentyfour hours; however, per-
sons who are we'll acquainted with the
warning factions that exist among coal
operators here say that they will be hard
to get together in this movement. al
though the extreme gravity of the out
look may have the desired effect. Those
in touch with the situation say the at
tempt at Cancellation will simply reopen
all the old discussion of President Dear
mitt's position on the necessity of a price
differential to compete with other dis
tricts. '. sIse
An operator who did not desire his
name to be used said:
citation will fail. President Dearmitt
will hardly be prevailed upon at this time
to abandon the position he has held for
years to effect settlement, it will be
necessary for Mr.. Dearmtt to come into
conference with us and pledge himself
to pay the same price that we are pay
ing for the balance of the lake season,
or longer. | do not think he will agree
to this.
ii
give up the fight. | think settlement
could be reached very speedily But I
have no hope that he will. Whatever
can be said about Dearmitt his position
on these points has been fought out con-
sistently along one line. and | do not ap-
prehend that the interference of outside
influences will have any effect"
Peace emissares called at President
Dcarmitt's Office today and it is said he
told them it would be at least day or
two before he could give them definite
answer as to the course of action he pro-
posed to follow. If the operators can
dea there will be no obstacle interposed
W the miners President Ratchford no.
fled the operators publicly a few days
90 that he was ready for a conference
t any time. This afternoon he wired
he arbitrators that the miners officials
would meet with them tomorrow.
There is strong indication of coal
anime confronting the country within
he next ten days. 1t is claimed by con-
ervativc operators that the supply at
resent in the east, which is placed at
100000 bushels. will be only able to
1pply the demand for month. With the
'arcity of coal already prevailing at the
Ike ports it is claimed the supply will
ct last over two weeks at the longest.
4 anticipation of such a condition the
nj operators are not very anxious to
I orders and are holding out for the adj
nee in price that is expected to result.
ne only source Of supply is from the
yer mines. rs the railroads are coniis-
ting for their own use all the coal ready
shipment along their lines. This or
was issued last week and with the
reption of permitting the railroad Or
NrJn y,