The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-09-18
THE COAL MINERS STRIKE.
Many OF the Men Already Idle Efforts
of the Operators to Keep the Mines
Going.

Scranton, Pa, September 15.-Neaf-
ly ALL of the collieries of the Lackawan-
ma region that were not closed down
yesterday began operations this morn
ing, but before noon arrived they were
one by one forced to suspend. until
only a few Of them were doing any
thing at all and these few were SO bad
ly crippled by shortage of hands that
under ordinary circumstances the op-
orators would have given up the at
tempt to work them.
The officers of the United Miners
claim that no one except the exempted
pump runners will respond to the
whistles Monday morning. The op-
orators, one and all, say they do not
know what the men will do, but are
firmly convinced that majority or
their employees are opposed to striking
and that the general shutting of the
collierieS is due to the fact that the
reckless breaker and driver boys turn
ed out and prevented the anti-strike
miners from working. Believing this,
the operators will open up as usual on
Monday and give work of some kind
to any man who puts in an appear
ance. The Delaware, LacKawanna and
Western Company is determined to at
least keep some of it's nineteen collier
les going. The bosses went among the
men today offering full protection and
special favors to all of its men of
known anti-strike proclivities if they
would report Monday morning. If
there are not enough men on hand to
start up all the collieries those who do
respond will be congregated in a few
coliieries and put to work. How many
promises they received was not dis
closed.
Organizer Dilcher today offered to
Sheriff Proyer free Of expense, the SER
vices of $4,000 sober, reliable members
and maintain constant guard Of the
mine properties. The sheriff said he
would consider the proposition.
The number of men and boys idle to-
day in this district covering the Lack
awanna and Wyoming valleys is esti-
| mated at headquarters to be fully 40,-
| 600.
The superintendent of the different
mining companies here were in confer
ence again today and from now on
| they will meet daily. They have thor
| oughly reviewed the situation Ind
while deploring generally the striiI, OF
! their employees they do dot see hoSs 1t
| heretofore made, namely, the impossi-
| bility of granting any increases in
wages and the determination not tc
| recognize the United Mine Workers
| of America.
General superintendent Loomis, OF
the Delaware, Lackawanna and We
ern Company, is looked upon as the
head of the superintendents' organiza-
tion. Today he said:
| 1.-The position of the companies is
| thoroughly defined and there will be nc
| deviation. We have conferred and
while we think the men have been ILL
advised We are decided that none of
their demands shall be met. A line of
| action has been determined on. This
will begin on Monday morning
with the blowing of the breaker gong:
calling the men to their work Those
who respond will be given places ant
| protected in their work. If necessary
these men will be placed in one of the
| central mines so as to be employed to.
gether and their work and safety bet
ter assured. A supply of stock coal i:
| now in sight and can meet the imrne-
| diate demands of upwards of two
weeks After that there must come e
coal famine, or the thrush OF bitumi
nous coal that will wipe out a large
| part of the anthracite market unless
the men now deluded by false hopes
| return to work"