New-York tribune., 1900-09-19
THE BIG COAL STRIKE.
NO VA TERLAL CHANGE IN THE
SITUATION.
NUMBER OF STRIKERS SOMEWHAT IN
CREASED-BOTH SIDES CONFIDENT
OF SUCCESS
lsr TELzeRAPH 70 TIE ra1BryE.l


Scranton. Penn Sept. 1S.-The second day
OF the strike witnessed no material change
in the situation. The ranks OF the strik-
ers were slightly augmented. but the increase
was scarcely perceDrible. In the Lehigh-
Shamolin. schuyIkiH and Mahanoy and Liksns
Valley districts. where the United Mine Work
ers are weakest. there was practically no gain
much 20 the apparent surprise Of the mine lead
ers- They argued that the miners oS these dis
tricts. Influenced by the almost unanimous
action Of their brethren in the Lackawanna AM
Wyoming districts. would 60 out solldly to-
day While their refusal 20 suspend work has
somewhat dampened the mine leaders expecfa-
tons, they profess being highly gratifed with
the prOnptness with which the majority of coal
workers have met President AIitcheIFs orders.
and point out that 10 strike ever set out under
such promising conditions.
The operators. on the other hand. are tubilant
At the turn affairs have taken. and declare that
the mine organization has shown its best hand
There are several reasons that may be advanced
why the miners in that region have 50 utterly
failed 70 respond % President NEtcheIFs orders.
principally because the men are satisfied with
their lot and have no pronounced grievances:
while. again. the United Mine Workers are de-
cidedly poorly organized there and have rtrls
influence with the men, However. az this lats
moment, the leaders have realized their def
cheney in this respect, and are dispatching their
best men 70 those districts 70 remedy the short
conings. The miners are accOsted On their way
to and from the mines. but, despite ths per
suasiva arguments OF the agents they stoItdIy
persist IN continuing work. and. further, the
miners OF the various districts have exhibited
considerable suspicion OF one another. and fear
that unless the strike general the district first
going out viii have 70 bear the brUur O. the
defeat.
L is against these odds that the mine leaders
are struggling. for they fully appreciate that
the strike can never terminate successfully with
out The total suspension of the anthracite work
/ ings. The force OF men working fulI blasr in
! this district IS fully adequate % supply the
/ anthracite market. and eventually the strikers
would have 70 acknowledge themselves defeated
/ OF the fifteen CoIHeries working az ShamOki1
/ yesterday only those controlled BY the PhiIa-
| deIphia and Reading Coal Company suspended
/ operations. This company announced to-day
/ that they would make attempt 70 operate
/ until the strike was over. Only % per cent OF
/ the employees OF the Mount Carmel coIliery went
/ 70 work this morning. With the exception OF
/ the WiIliamstown cOIisry. all the mines IN the
I Lykeus Valley district have suspended opera
tions. The miners at this coI-tery have refused
70 strike Reports from 8Iaha1oy City show that
all the collieries are working with the exception
/ OF three The mine leaders claim that they can
bring about q total tie-up within TWO three
/ days but the operators are fully decided
that no more mines viii close. Al Wilkesbarre
the situation is unchanged except that the
( union OF the mine workers has gained i've
/ hundred new members. Two Pennsylvania coal
/ COMPANY mines worked at Pitlston to-day. and
I forty-three are idle. 4 big mass meeting and
\ parade were held to-day Several thousand
I men and boys took part. all marching through
/ the streets and behaving IN an orderly manner
/ At Scranton all the coIIieries with one excep-
I tion were idle. This exception IS owned BY ths
/ Gibbons Coal Company. q small concern employ
( ing thirty men The miners went out yesterday,
/ bur returned 70 work this morning after the
I company had reached a settlement Dy granting
I the 10 per cent advance in wages
/ Superintendent E Z LOOMS. of the Lacka-
\ wanna. stated that the situation was IN
/ or anged. and when asked regarding the com
( pSIy's policy said IL mad already been OuLlned
/ IN the operators statement, and that when ths
y men were ready return the mines would bs
/ opened
| At the Dunmore Iron and Steel Company's
l shops - per cent OF the men were given notlcs
\ thar their services were not needed until rurLneT
I notice. although by applying 70 another depart
4 Ynent they might be gtven other employment
Il The men consider this order as the company
| desire 10 swear them IN as deputies 20 PFo'se'
/ property
/ Thus far the miners have conducted them
I selves quietly. The drSt real evidence O. Vlo-
! lenCe occurred the JeausSvt-ls stripping tIls
/ rrornfnp- v,-1eu the men were driven rron the
\ pit by a GROVE OF young men. VINO stoned Iner'
I from the bank. At the CClun Tasl6Eys operated
/ BY Halsto-. Richardson & Co. twenty noLl-1nloE
/ men were prevented from working oy srr1ksTs
/ Both sides exchanged blows, but the union nlsr
/ came IN force, compelling their adversArlss &C
| cease work ~ another OF tle waShsr1eS ne
s-iI,srq srIcceaIed in secretly cutting the belts
/ thus bringing about clOse-down for the tins
/ being. All the companies are preparing 1ot
/ trouble by laying in a large supply OF guns AnS
| ammunition