The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1900-10-04
OFFER DECLINED.
lhe Striking Miners Urge Their
Comrades Not to Return
to Work.
lBE 1lE.UP TIGHTER THAN EYER.
rive Hundred Men Demand the Right
Oh Highway and March From
Town 10 Town.
The Sheriff aud His Deputies PoverIess In
''op 1hem-New Recruits Added
to Their Ranks.

ohamokin, Pa, Oct. 1.-Notjces
were posted here Sunday bv the
rh'iadeiphia & Reading Coal and
iron Co. TO the effect that beginning
with Monday an advance OF ten per
cent on the net wages Of all men
ana boys would obtain. While some
strikers went TO work Monday morn
ing others held that it would not
be wise to act until President Mitch
Ell had issued officially notice as to
inc course the men should pursue.
interest is manifested as TO wheth-
er the Reading Co.'S coliieries will
De able to work, irrespective Of the
1 recognition Of the mine workers
union by the mine operators.
Shenandoah. Pa, Oct. 1.-The no.
tices of the Philadelphia & Reading
Coal and Iron Co. Offering miners an
increase Of ten per cent. in wages
were posted Sunday in this town,
ot Mahanoy City and other places.
Upon reading the notice Organizer
George Harris, whose hcadquarters
are at MahanOy City, issued instruc-
lions 10 the president Of local
branches OF the United Mine Work.
ers 10 warn the strikers AGAINST re-
turning TO work until so ordered bv
the officials of the union. Placards /
were accordingly placed throughout
the district notifying the mine work /
ers TO remain away from the collier.
les until President Mitchell should |
order them 10 work or until the local .
branches of the, union should take
concerted action.
Hazleton, Oct. 2.-Monday was the
most exciting day of the strike.
Marches were the order, and It was
clear that the men were making a
desperate effort to prevent any
stampede TO the mines.
Over 500 men gathered at dawn
near Lattimer and marched TO the
town. They were confronted by
Sheriff Harvey and 100 deputies and
roal and iron police, drawn up across
the road. As the sheriff commanded
the crowd TO halt, one of the leaders
rried: eve are unarmed; we de-
nand the right of highway" At the
same time he raised his arms above 4
ais head and the whole crowd OF
narchers did likewise. With their
rms appraised they marched steadily
o the line Of officers and pushed '
through, down the road and into the 5
ingle street of Lattimer. They were I
areful not to step Off the road, but q
hey called to the sleeping miners I
ot to work to-day. Harvey came
p. Boys" he said, IL must do my I
uty. You have demanded the right u
f highway, but you must not loiter
am compelled to tell you to move l
H." q
The men marched on out of the
own, then wheeled, and, with up
lised arms, they again broke :,
trough the lines of deputies and
Iarched the length Of town, urging
Il the miners to remain idle. This
erfOrmunce was repeated Il third
me. and then the crowd set off for
long tramp to Jeddo. -
Lattimer was opened, but few men -
ent to work. Only the cool sense Of Ii Ii
ieriff Harvey prevented a serious D.
ash. but he did not want the Latti- u
er tragedy of 81 repeated. -
Marches were also made 70 Jeddo :"
ID Cranberry, near here, Coaldale, !.
lnther Creek, Laurel Hill and prob -
ly at half a dozen other places. ~
le marches occurred while driv- "
2 rain was falling, and news from N'
e more isolated collieries come in w
,wly.
The marches pretty effectually off
the effect of the 10 per cent adj w
nee notices posted by the company, ca
d but very few more men went 10 IN
,rk. while at least one mine, Gran m,
rry, which had been working, was IN
'ced 10 suspend. 1t apepars that Hi
ikers made their usual big Sunday set
III of recruits, and the tie-up seems
be tighter than ever
n