The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-08
TODAY WILL DECIDE
ABOUT THE STRIKE
Hereabouts Persons Who Will Be
Affected by the Shutting Down
of the Mines Are Prepar-
ing for the Worst.

Only the most optimistic Scrantoni-
ans now express any strong hopes or
the threatened miners strike being
averted. There is yet a chance of a
peaceful settlement, but the reports
from indianapolis rather tend to dis
courage belief that such will eventu-
ate. Today will decide whether or not
the strike will be inaugurated and, If
1t is, Monday will probably see the men
going out.
There is possibility that even
though the strike is ordered today, it
will not go into effect at once. The
presidents of the executive boards of
the three districts, II. d. Nichols, John
Fahy and Thomas Duffy, are in Halle
ton, endeavoring to devise a means Of
having the operators refer the differ
ences to dsinterested arbitrators, as
advised by Father Phillips, and if they
are encouraged to believe that this
means may prove effectual, it is not
unlikely that they will delay the call
for a strike.
1t is a slim chance, but still it is a
chance.
Scranton has settled back to await
the worst. Anything but the worst
railroad companies are storing coal for
their locomotives, householders are
keeping the local delivery wagons on
the run, filling their bins. Merchants
are placing orders with a condition
attached that in case of a strike they
can be cancelled; drummers are avoid
ing the region entirely, or else storing
their sample cases at the hotels and
taking a vacation until they find out
for certain whether or not there is to
be a strike; wholesale dealers are not
seeking any but select trade, and re-
tailers, especially in the mining sub
urbs, are delicately spreading the word
that they will have to close down while
the strike is In progress.
All statements regarding the num-
Der of men who will go out and the
| number who will go out is the
veriest idle speculation. The fact
of the matter is that not one
miner in ten knows tor himself whether
or not he will strike. He is debating
| the question with himself Just bout as
anXiously as the genera! puhIic is sp 'c-
| ll!ating on the same matter. There are
| miners talking strike loud and ihcesS-
| antly who deep in their hearts hope
the strike will be aVerted. There are
other miners who are bitterly opposed
| to striking who will be among the very
| first to go out because of their dread
of being held up to derision and sCorr
! by their fellow workmen. There are
still other miners who at meetings OF
the union, and in CuTbstOne discussions
| will declare emphatically for a strike
and then on going home and meeting
wife and babes will regret his utter
| ances ana wish that something vii
| happen to avert the threatened trouble
At one coliery down the valley tn,
men We're asked To vote as to how
many of them would go on strike if {
strike was declared. They answered
by going on strike in a body then an(
! there. The men at a Colliery to tn,
north of the city sent a committee u
the operators yesterday to say tina
they had determined not to strike
| under any circumstances, and askeC
the mine owners to guarantee then
protection from outside interference.
There will be a mass meeting o
miners in Barney's field, off Theodor
street, tomorrow afternoon at o'clOcl
and another in the evening near tn
air shaft on Washburn street. The lat
ter will be under the auspices of tn
Mine Workers Union.