Evening star., 1900-09-20

ers. The first information brought here told
of a break among the employees in the Lat
timer mines, the first that has taken place
there during the strike. The colliery was
considered an invulnerable spot, and the
break there put the etrikers in a good
humor. The number of men who quit was
quite small however. but the union men
are satisfied that they Will make further IN
roads on the force there.
The next good news received by the strik-
ers came from Coleraine, and was To the Ell
feet that the colliery there was shut down
tight. The McAdoo strikers have been try
ing for four days to close this place Inc
Evans co1liery at Beaver Meadow also
failed to start work this morning. Not
enough men put in an appearance to oper,
ate the workings. Both Coleraine and
Evans collieries are operated by the A. s.
Van WfnckIe Company. All of this COM
panys mines in the Hazieton region are
now closed.
Committee Presents Grievances.
A committee of three miners employed at
the Coleralne mines this morning called
upon Superintendent Ayres and presented a
set of grievances for the companys consld-
Grafton. The grievances are as follows:
We the undersigned committee of Col
eraine do hereby ask for two weeks pay
and 10 per cent increase on the dollar, 10
per cent off the dollar on kes of powder
and that all men get paid for overtime
work"
Superintendent Ayres received the men
pleasantly and told them they would re-
ceive an answer in three days
A few more mon went to work In the
Markle mines at Jeddo and OakdaIe today
than worked yesterday. The strikers claim
gotten into circulation that the men who
lived in the company houses and dealt in
the company stores would not receive the
pay that was due them if they did not go
,-f,.ly how In
both the non-union men and the company
Excitement Mt a Lehish Mine.
There was considerable excitement about
o'clock this morning In the vicinity of No.
40 shaft of the Lehigh Valley Coal Com
pany east of this city The coal and iron
policemen had gone to the houses in that
locality and induced a number of breaker
boys to go to work, 1t was charged. Strik-
ers at the same time attempted to persuade
the boys TO stay out, but retired when they
insisted on working.
On the way to the shaft a half dozen
foreign-speaking women surrounded the po-
licemen, and, taking the dinner pals from
the now frightened boys, threatened to
strike the coal and iron men. A mob of
800 persons soon gathered and for q time 1t
looked If the policemen would get the
worst of it, but they managed to escape
the crowd without precipitating a fight. A
few of the boys went to the mines with the
policemen, but most Of them returned to
their homes
The march to Coleraine which was ar
ranged for last night by the McAdoo men
did not take place this morning, as they
learned this morning it would be unneces-
sary, tip having been received that Cole
Taine would not start. A march of the
strikers from Freeland to Sandy Run and
Pond Creek was also abandoned. The union
men, after conference this morning, de-
cided TO organize the men at those places
and then ask them to quit.
The mines at Eckley and Sandy Run are
in full operation this morning as usual and
the Markle mine at Highland IS operating
with about the same force as yesterday.
President MitchelJ's Claims.
President Mitchell OF the United Mine
Workers returned from Mahanoy City this
morning, where he addressed a meeting
last night. Mr.. Mitchell said today that
large gains had been made in the Schuyl-
kill region, and that the outlook for the
Haz!eton district continues to grow bright
er. Mr. Mitchell goes to Wilkesharre on
Saturday, where he speaks that night.
General Superintendent Smith of the G.
b, Markle Co. mines said today that
there more men working in the Markle
mines than on any day this week. He said
a considerable additional number of work
ers entered both the Highland and Jeddo
mine today Mr. Smith added that many
strike unless the company gives un-
satisfactory answer to the grievances pre-
sented last Friday. The company has ten
days from that day in which TO make an
answer.
The shipment of coal from the Hazleton
region is gradually falling off. Yesterday
the HaZieton division OF the Iehigh Valley
railroad which taps all but six colleries IN
this territory, handled 4s0 cars of coal
which is decrease Of eighty cars over
Tuesday AS the average shipment is 500
cars day. these figures indicate that the
production since the strike began in the
HazletOn region is less than twO-thirds of
normal
Claim of Intimidation.
General Manager Frank Pardee of A. Par
dee & Co.'S mines, the Cranberry and Crys-
tai Ridge collieries. says the property is to-
day producing about threefourths of the
average OUTPUT.
Mr.. Pardee said: THE men are staying
away from work because they have been
intimidated They are being threatened
with bodily harm at their homes. If this
were not so | believe 80 per cent of our men
would be working. We are protecting all
men who are working on this property.
'Our firm has nothing to arbitrate Our
men presented but one grievance, the pow
der question Our answer that If we
reduced the price of powder we would have
TO readjus: the wage scale. They said they
did not want this done, but some Of them
struck.
las far a i know there is no understand
ing among the operators regarding any ac-
tiOn that might be taken with q view to
breaking the strike. Each operator is
lighting his own battle. We do not care
how many of our men join the United Mine
Workers as long they behave themselves
and keep within the law
President Mitchell today denied the story
that he is going TO New York TO confer
with owners of mines, with a view to arb-
tration.
Fred Dilcher. the member Of the national
executive board of the Mine Workers
Union who has been leading the strike
movement IN the Lackawanna and Wyo-
| ming valley regions, arrived here this after
noon from Scranton.