The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-02-22
MINES AND MINERS
II. c. Friek Coke Company Said to Have Rough
Four thousand Acres in West
Virginia for S6i6,ooo.


lands, comprising 1000 acres. lying on
the west fork of the Monongahela
river, had been sold to the II. G.. Frick
Coke company, OF Pittsburg, for $6l6,-
600. The land Is said to be underlaid
with the Connellsville colting coal
seam extension, and is the most valu-
able tract of coal land transferred in
that section for two years. The prop
erty * traversed by the West Virginia
and Pittsburg railroad, and is said to
possess ample facilities for shipping
the coal. The Frick company is said
to have purchased the property to be
held as reserve supply when it's great
possessions In the Connellsville region
proper have been worked out.
William Pritchard Morgan, member
of parliament for the Merthyr Tydvil
division of Wales. who has arrived
from China, confirms the report of the
concessions from the Chinese govern
ment, which provide for opening up
the rich province of Szechuan to the
trade of the world. Mr.. Morgan has
been appointed foreign, financial, legal
and technical administrator of the
province. His associates are an
American syndicate and the Chinese
authorities. The contract gives Mr..
Morgans associates control of all the
mines and oil fields in the province of
Szechuan. The capital of the COM
pdnN, 10 SIHft with, is SD,WUU,uUU, ana IL
Is proposed to administer Szechuan on
lines followed by Cecil Rhodes In
South Africa.
Patrick Dolan was Wednesday re-
elected president of the United Mine
Workers of America after one of the
most bitter fights known to the Pitts
burg labor world. William Dodds,
former vice president, was elected sec
retary-treasurer thus Gaping the eli
hppn n1a1R
by Dolan. Now that the election Is
over, the miners are glad 1t happened,
and are congratulating themselves
over the result. The contest has been
one of the most unique and at the
same time most spirited in the history
of labor organizations. President
Dolan was opposed by all the Influences,
personality and means of the National
organization. A number of National
officials of the organization have been
in Pittsburg since the adjournment of
the Interstate Joint convention and
have been working against him. Will
liam Warner was the mouthpiece of
the National organization while In
convention, and as his reward reaped
local defeat. He was so badly whipped
that he refused to be a candidate as
soon as Dolan's strength asserted it
self and withdrew from the contest
Edward Mckay, who was a candidate
for Dolan's place, was, according to the
statements of many miners, stronger
than Warner When there was a
showing of hands Mckay could mus
ter but 22 votes. When the Mckay
strength asserted itself Warner ap-
parently saw the handwriting of the
ballots, and refused to trot any fur
ther in the race. The result stamps
Patrick Dolan as one of the foremost
labor leaders i'm the country. He
fought the united opposition of pollt-
ical influences, the superior officers of
his own organization and alleged
treachery in the ranks of his own con-
stituonts. That the miners are his
friends was plainly demonstrated. IN
all the contests he has been in the
front, not in his office, but In the field.
lie has spent most of his time fighting
against reduction in the rates OF
mining in the open air, and his consti-
tuents seem to have recognized his
services.
All the property and coal lands OF
the st. Clair Coal and Coke company
at Latrobe, We're sold Tuesday to "A
party OF Pittsburg capitalists, who
have just formed the Duquesne Ccal
and Coke company for sum approAi-
mating 100000. The capacity of the
colsing plant will probably be doubled
at once at n cost of $4,000, and other
improvements to bring the plant to
perfection will doubtless be made this
summer. The st. Clair company has
been one of the most important of the
smaller Independent coke concerns of
the district
The Collins Colliery Co, at Glen Jean.
w. Va, has reduced the wages rate
for digging coal from 30, to 25 cents
ton and most of the 500 men refuse to
accept the reduction. Men were
brought from Virginia and North Car
olina, and all but fifty have returned
to their homes or gone to Pennsyl-
vania.
Operators of the Massillon district
will make an effort to show the un-
constitutionality of the John p. Jones'
anti-screen law. which was passed by
the last legislature. If the operators
fail in this direction they will make a
reduction of 20 cents a ton In wages
which would make the rate 46 cents a
ton.
1t is feared that there will be trouble
at Pana, ILL.,, when the troops leave,
and the coal company puts detectives
on guard. There was a murder recent
ly in the negro settlement which
showed that little provocation Is nee
essary to start a big riot.
There is talk of building road from
Florence, Ala, to Jackson, Tenn, 100
miles, to open the coal and iron-ore
Il. Johnson of Waynesboro, Tenn, is
the promoter
Much uneasiness Is manifested by
the people of Shenandoah over the
uncertainty of the future of the Will
liam Penn colliery. which employs
nearly 500 men and boys. The fifteen
year lease of Stickney, Conyngham &
Co. expired on the LIST. and the COM
pany declares 1t will not take a re-
newal unless the Girard Estate reduces
the royalty.
The Munhall coal works at Home
stead, Pa, have resumed operations.
after being idle six months. owing to
the destruction of the tipple by fire.
The company has 400 miners, but needs
more. A new 30-acre field will be
opened.
The demand for miners at Bergholtz,
about 80 miles south of Alliance. o..
is so great that the Ohio River &
Lake Erie II. II. Co. has volunteered
to haul free to that place all miners
who wish to work there.
Governor Northen has been doing
good work for several months In the
direction of having the gold fields Of
the States worked. He has succeeded