The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-09-25

General Gobin is the senior brigadier
or the division and commanded the
provisional brigade which was ordered
TO the Hazelton region after the Lat
timer shooting in 1897.
Governor Stone received a telegram
early this evening from Sheriff Toole
advising him that three persons had
been killed AND fifteen injured at She
nandoah by the strikers firing upon a
posse of citizens who were protecting
a party OF non-union miners on their
return home from work. The sheriff
said he was unable to cope with the
mob and hat the presence Of troops
was necessary to the protection of
life and property in the community.
Shamokin, Pa, September 21.-Evan
Davis, Waterman at Hickory Ridge
colliery, was shot early this morning
by an unknown person as he was pa
trolling the colliery. The bullet enter
not fatal, wound. Davis saw a mar,
u toward the engine house and be-
fore he fell to the ground from exhaus-
ton he fired six shots at the fleeing
assassin, but none OF the bullets an
parently too effect.
FEARS OF TROUBLE.
Hazelton, Pa, September 21.-The
Leh1gh region today seemed to con-
Germ itself more about the possibility
- OobA lIdA any OlhC olc hlLS
Wherever one went in this district the
belief was general that an outbreak
VIII accur. There was, however, no
outward evidence anywhere that such
a thing is likely. This feeling was no
doubt produced by the disturbances at
Shenandoah and the arrival in Hazel
ton and on the north side of large
numbers of deputies who are said to
be prepared for any emergecy. 1t was
known that all the Goa companies in
the district had increased the number
Of watchmen around their collieries,
and it was also known hat a small
number of deputies had been dis
tributed through the south side by
Sheriff Brislin, of Carbon county, but
nothing much was thought of this.
The deputies who arrived at Free
land, twelve miles north of here, dur
ing the night, from Wilkesharre, are
said to m about 200. They were
distributed along the public Dad be-
tween Freeland and Jeddo. At noon
a carload of them arrived in this city
over the Pennsylvania railroad and,
later in the day, several squads of dep
uties came into town. They are being
lodged in different parts of the city.
There were fewer cases of violence
today than or yesterday, when the
mine workers in various parts of this
section were attacked on their way to
and from work. The presence of the
increased number of watchmen n
deputies may have accounted for this
improved condition.
A STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT
MITCHELL.
HaZelton, Pa, September 21.-Presi-
lent Mitchell tonight issued an open
letter to the public, in part, as fol-
lows:
1.-THE striking mine workers recognize
a fhni,. -nn1 nnnnnnnfS in fhic ctr11 roll
for a slight amelioration of the hard
grinding conditions of the average
miners life nine railroads., which be-
sides producing approximately II pei
cent. of the hare coal, are the sole car
rierS to tide water of ali coal mined in
the anthracite field Of Pennsylvania,
and for this service of carriage a
charge of from 40 to 6S per cent. per
ton, according to the size of the coal,
is made. Incredible as it may appear,
they charge three times as much to
carry a ton of anthracite coal 100 miles
as is charged to carry a bitum1nous
ton of coal the same distance. So ex-
orbitant are the rates a the legiti-
mate profits which should be credited
to the mining interests of these rail-
roads, are absorbed by freight rates,
and as a their coal proper
ties are made to show a very small
profit on their capitalization.
Speaking for the $50, 900 workers this
day on strike, l recognize these rail-
roads as our real enemies and name
their presidents as the men RESPONSE
BILE for refusal to arbitrate OF. even
confer upon the differences which have
grown up, not between them and the
organization | represent, but etWee
them and their own employees, VINO
through delegates selected by hem
selves, met in convention in this city
on A1ol1St 18th and fra med a LIST of
grievances which were mailed to the
general superintendent of the mining
departments of these railroads., accom-
panied by an invitation to meet in
joint convention on August 9th for the
purpose of discussing such changes in
the scale of mining and conditions OF
employment as were warranted by the
conditions of the coal industry. The
cordial invitation extended was not
even acknowledged by those in charge
Of the GAL departments"
Mr.. Mitchell hen gives his reasons
for lot conSenting to arbitration In the
Markle case, saying Markle's a
would be appropriated by the Lehigh
Valley Company and used as a weapon
to defeat the strike and that Markle
could pay a higher scale of wages than
others only so long as h strike con-
tinued.
He declares himself in favor of ar
bitratlon, but says arDltratlOn Wouiu
be unnecessary if miners and mine
owners were to adopt the system of adj
justing wage disputes in force in the
bituminous districts, where annual
conventions of employers and employees
agree upon the scale of wages.
President Mitchell concludes: II and
nv official colleagues will not ask to
be recognized or consulted by the mine
owners if the officers or representa-
tives of these great railroad companies
will do what they have many times
| said they would do-meet committees
of their own employees n come to a
| peaceful agreement. Were they to act
upon his idea, I firmly believe that the
railroad companies could finally arrive
at an agreement with their employees
and establish a relation and set up a
precedent which would make strikes
| almost impossible in the future
1 Rruon RI Gonna East.