New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-28
NO BREAK YET IN STRIKE
MITCHELL ORDERS MINERS
TO STAND FIRM.
ATTEMPT TO STOP SOFT COAL SHIPMENTS
MANY RUMORS AFLOAT IN THE
ANTHRACITE REGION.

Hazleton. Sept. 2T.-President Mitchell of the
! United Mine Workers to-day sent a telegram
! to the Central Pennsylvania btuminous coal
/ field which possibly may bring the soft coal
miners into the contest which the anthracite
workers waging against the mine own
ers. The telegram sent to Richard Gilbert,
secretary of District No > Clearfeld Penn,
/ and follows:
Issue circular letter instructing all mine work
/ ers in Central Pennsylvania that they not
I To load coal for shipment into markets formerly
/ supplied by anthracite operators We are in
! formed that the Philadelphia and Reading
/ Delaware and Hudson and the New-Jersey
/ Central railroads are now attempting to defeat
anthracite strike by sending their cars into
/ Central Pennsylvania to have them loaded with
btuminous coal Please comply with this re-
quest at once.
President Mitchell said he had been watching
the btuminous coal field closely for just such
move as he alleges has been made by the rail
roads mentioned in his telegram, and he does
not fear that they VIII make much of a success
in getting soft coal into the anthracite market.
The miners in the Central Pennsylvania region.
he continued. are in thorough sympathy with
their fellow Workmen in the eastern part of the
State. and he feels sure that soon as they
find that the coal they may he loading or are
asked to load is to take the place of hard coal
they will refuse handle it.
Labor leaders co not look for an suspension
Of work In the soft coal field unless the opera
tors insist on sending their coal TO the an
thracite market They also say that the Phia
delphia and Reading. Delaware and Hudson
and Jersey Central railroads. being unable to
ill their contracts for hard coal are prevailing
on their customers to accept soft coal, wherever
1t can be used. as q substitute.
Considerable interest is manifested as 10 the
effect of President Mitchers action in attempt
ing to defeat the alleged move of the coal car
rying roads.
INSTRUCTIONS SENT TO STRIKERS.
This was a day Of rumors. Around strike head
quarters there stories in circulation that
Archbishop Ryan and Senator Hanna were COM
ing here TO see President Mitchell; that all the
coal carrying roads had agreed 10 arbitrate all
differences. and that The strike had been settled.
The last rumor the only one TO which the
labor leaders paid any attention. and in conneC-
lion with it they sent the following telegram to
The presidents of the unions in the three dis
tricts comprising the entire anthracite coal
field Of Pennsylvania:
Report is current that operators have made
concessions in wage scale and will attempt to
induce mine workers to resume work. Please ad-
vise all miners IN your district that no attention
should be given to thesefreports. and that they
win he officially notified should any offer Of
settlement be made Under no consideration
whatever should work he resumed unless
thorized by a convention representing all mine
workers in the anthracite field. It is vitality i'm
portant that all miners stand firm and deter
mined. and not be deceived by those whose in
terest ii is to defeat the purpose for which the
strike was inaugurated.
In speaking about the rumors Of a settlement,
Mr.. Mitchell said the strike could not be ended
without his knowing it. and that he had no
knowledge Gf any negotiations in progress
that would lead TO immediate settlement
When Mr.. Mitchells attention called to
dispatch in which J. P. Morgan is credited with
saying that ne Oiitchem would accept a 10 per
cent advance, he said:
1t is absolutely untrue 7 am not empowered
TO accept anything less than what the miners in
convention decided to ask for Anything under
those demands must he acted upon by regular
convention Of delegates representing the anthra-
cite miners.
Mr. Mitchell also denied having any knovl-
edge Of the opening Of negotiations mentioned by
President Tru+sdale Of the Delaware. Lacka-
wanna and Western Railroad. He does not
know who the third person is that Mr.. Trues-
dale speaks Of and says he has not been ap-
preached in any way.
SITUATION AT MARBLE MINES.
The entire Hazleton region was quiet to-day
and the only noticeable change in the strike
situation at the Colieries Of g. r MarkIe
& Co As predicted by tho strike leaders yes
terdsy there was a considera BILE reduction in the
forces working at the various collieries operated
by this firm. The strikers say that the mines
rra ctically idle, while all that the general
superintendent of tho mines would say was that
the collieries We're started usual to-day. OF
the thirty odd collieres in this regian. thirteen
! are completely tied up. While the remainder are
/ more less crippled not running full
handed and not many of them having mined any
coal 10 speak of since the strike began.
Mr. Wilson. the National secretary and treas
urer of the United Mine Workers, arrived to-
day from Indianapolis He said nothing definite
Z Ta-s4I
OF benefits 10 the striking men. The question, he
said, will probably be settled within the next
! few days. Mr.. Wilson declined to say what
amount of money hand FOR that pur-
| pose, and also refused to divulge the numerical