Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-09-29

Hazleton, Pa. Sept. 27.-Suikers have
continued to make gains in the anthracite
region. Some mines are open in the Lee
high and Sehuylkill districts, but the col
lieries which are in operation have SO few
men that they are unable to mine sutii-
Gent coal to make anything like "a good
showing.
There have been a few mines running
in the Hazeton district. including Latti-
mer, which the union men believed would
be idle. The Markle mines have been
closed pending the determination of the
men whether they would join in the
strike or agree to afbitrate under the
terms of the contract they signed with
the proprietors.
Very little coal has been produced in
this district and in the SchuyIkill section,
and the leaders of the labor movement
mantaifrthat there is not enough anthra-
cite coal on hand to supply the normal de-
mand for the present week.
The operators are not i'll a position TO
continue the conflict for many days, as
they are in danger of losing their custom
ers. with the prospect of never being able
to regain them. Bituminous coal is being
brought not only into the anthracite mar
ket, but into the district which lives sole
ly through the production of hard coal
Many cars of soft coal have been taken
to Scranton. to Wilkesbarre and to Halle
ton, the centers of the anthracite indus
try.
The operators realize that if manufac-
turers in the east adopt soft coal instead
of hard and change their CRATES to make
them suitable it will be difficult if not inn
possible to regain the trade, as the btu
mnous coal answers every purpose that
the other does and is very much cheaper.
Mitchell Announces victory.
Although the conflict between labor
and capital has changed in very few par
tieulars within "a hours. the only gains
that have been made have been by the
representatives of the labor movement,
and practically every mine in this neigh
borhood is crippled to the extent that but
perfunctory work is being done, with "A
very small output of coal.
John Mitchell president of the United
Mine Workers of America, said last
night:
Affairs have reached crisis. and /
am now for the first time in position to
state that we have won. They may go
on as they are now doing, but they can
not supply the demand for anthracite
q few days.
Il have never had any doubt of the
outcome, and / am now more confident
than ever that the operators will have to
give in. The quantity of coal now being
produced is insignificant in comparison
with the demand. and the operators who
are making a pretense of keeping open
are doing so in the face of a conviction
that there must of necessity no a loss
1T is safe to say that no work is being
done in the anthracite regions outside OF
the Panther Creek valley, where the
product is comparatively small and the
total number of men employed is less
than 5000"
Operators Oppose Mitchell.
There is no question that the tie up is
almost complete at the present time and
that the sentiment in favor of the strik-
,ers continues to grow. The operators in
this section would be glad to settle the
strike by reducing the price of powder
from So 10 to S1.50 and by increasing the
price for labor if necessary if they did
not have to make any deal with Mr..
Mitchell or other representatives of the
miners organization.
Very many of the mining companies are
in a position to make money on the basis
of S1.50 powder and increased wages for
men, but the representatives of the CAPT
talists are unwilling to enter into any ne
gotiations with Mr.. Mitchell.
They say they would raise the price of
contract labor and reduce the sum paid
for powder if they could do so without
entering into any negotiations with the
men who have come from the west to
take charge of the strike