New-York tribune., 1900-10-08
MITCHELL IN CONTROL.
COAL MINERS TO FOLLOW
ADVICE OF LEADER.
CONVENTION ANxoUsLY AWAITED
COMPANIES LIMIT OF CONCES-
SIONS REACHED.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRBuNE.I

tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBUNEl
Pottsville. Penn. Oct. Interest in the great
anthracite strike throughout the lower coal belt
this evening revolves entirely around the pro-
posed convention OF miners to be held by Presi-
dent Mitchell This body is TO consider the offer
OF the individual operators and coal companies,
which promise to increase wages 10 per cent
while some others, notably the Reading Coal and
Iron Company. are willing to adjust the griev-
anoes of their employees. but in every case direct
recognition Of the mine workers union is left
out of the calculation
Mr.. Mitchell says that the matter of going
back VIII be left entirely 10 the delegates elected
10 the miners convention, but it is admitted
that this gathering like the local mine work
ers' unions in the present strike, will act abso-
lutely according TO his advice and that of his
subordinates. II he advises a return to work
the colneries will open. If he thinks that the
concessions made by the operators are not
enough then the strike viii go on; and If this is
the decision then the real bitterness of the great
struggle viii only bexin- The matter is entirely
in Mr.. Mitchelrs hands, and on him rests
great responsibility. He has already placed
himself on record against the acceptance of
the coal companies offer by only some Of the
men. which would merely break the force Of the
strike. He said at Shenandoah yesterday:
The Reading company officials said their peo-
pie would not strike, as they had no grievances.
To-day they are all out. They have as many
grievances as any OF the others. They believe
they are entitled TO a higher rate of wages and
so they are. We must win this battle or go
down together. Never will my consent be given
10 the men to return to work until all go.
PANTHER CREEK MEN MAY GO OUT.
Beginning with tomorrow, for the first time
since the opening of the strike, not pound Of
coal win be mined in the entire lower anthracite
belt except in the Panther Creek Valley, where
the employees OF ten coIlierfes belonging TO the
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company have re-
sisted the efforts Of the labor leaders to bring
them out. Tomorrow morning missionary work
will begin there in earnest, and John Fahey
president Of this district, declared to-dayI
There is not the slightest doubt about the men
OF the Panther Creek Valley going out OF that
am certain.
When these miners strike fully 10000 men
viii have laid down their mining tools, and the
tieup will be practically complete. The Panther
Creek Valley mines turn out 175,00O tons a
month. and there may be great trouble there In
a few days. This valley begins in SchuyIkiu
County. near Tamaqua, and extends into Car
bon County. At the beginning OF the trouble it
was generally asserted that the miners of the
SchUylkin district would not strike. In these
dispatches it was predicted from authoritative
information that they would do so, and they
have struck almost to a man. It was also de-
clared at the beginning in this correspondence
that the SchuylkiH territory would be the centre
OF interest in the great strike. and II ever
since the troops were called to Shenandoah. 1t
has been almost daily asserted from other
sources in the last two weeks that the strike
was on the point Of settlement The Trtbune's
dispatches declared that nothing tangible in
that direction was yet evident, and up to TO-
&t,4s s%fTI rgaa
surface indications Of such a settlement simply
because there is no positive assurance that the
miners convention will accept the offers of the
operators unless President Mitchell advises it
and valves the recognition Of the union de-
man6ed at the beginning OF the strike.
SUPPLY OF STORED COAL SMALL.
These dispatches also stated that the visible
coal supply would last three weeks. This time
Is now up and II Is learned to-day officially that
unless the strike is called off within another
week there VIII be no coal to be had either for
commercial private consumption. A coal
famine stares Pennsylvania, though rich in coal
deposits in the face. Already the stock yards
Of the Reading Company have in this region
been employed, and g number of patrons of that
corporation have been informed that no more
coal can be furnished to them. The company
has a small supply loaded on cars, but that is
held for emergency purposes.
There are still vague rumors that the strike
was started for political purposes, and President
Mitchell has been considerably nettIed as
result Here is his latest declarations:
The coal companies have shot shafts at me
alleging that the strike was in the interest of
political parties and the bituminous regions
hope that Will believe such charges. Hell
is not sufficiently hot TO receive any man
who expresses such sentiments. You will go on
digging coal. It don't matter what political party
controls the Government The charge is abso-
1nfa all 7Fr11a