Connecticut western news., 1900-09-20
THE STRIKE GROWING.
More Galleries Are Now Stand
 ing Idle.
MITCHELL IS GREATLY PLEASED,
The Operators Are stiII Firm-No Prospects of a SettIement-The sit- uation nt HsnIeton, wiIkesbarre and Other Points.


 uation nt HsrIeton, wnke.barre and Other Points.
 Hazleton, Pa, Sept. 19.-John Mitch ell, president of the United Mine Work CTS of America, is in a jubilant mood. Great progress has been made by the strikers in the anthracite coal regions, and several important mines which were in operation Monday have been closed.
 In other places there was a substantial decrease in the working forces, and the labor leaders enthusiastically reported that by the close of the week not one member of the great army of mine work CTS would be in the collieries.
 The mine owners remained equally confident of success and freely predicted that the strike would quickly come to an end. They insisted that many of the men who had been induced to quit work had done so against their will and had already shown signs of weakening, real izing that the sentiment of the entire community was against them and that the only possible outcome would be sui fering for those whom they hold dearest on earth.
 The strike cannot succeed unless many more mines are compelled to close, and the question Is whether the representa- tives of organized labor are able to wield the absolute power they claim.
 They have made many converts on the collieries operated by G. B. Msrkle & Co.,, where no organization formerly ex- isted, and they have gained adherents in the mines of Coke Bros. & Co.,, forming the center of attack in their preliminary operations. If they win here, they will next turn their undivided attention to the Schuylkill valley, where they have shown unexpected weakness.
 Before inaugurating what he declared would be the greatest strike in history MT. Mitchell had been advised that his order would be universally obeyed in the upper and lower anthracite regions and that the debatable ground lay about Ha- zleton. This city became the headquar- ters of the agitation, and although the business men discountenanced the move ment and tried to create suspicion of the leaders invading this territory great in roads have been made upon the local operators.
 Say Mitchell Can Do No More.
 It had been freely predicted that the men here would quit through sympathy if they found their fellow workers on ei- ther side acted in a body. MT. Mitch ell's order has fallen Hat in many sec tions of the Panther Creek district and the Schuylkill valley. He has complete ly tied up the northern district. as but one mine in the Wilkesbarre section is working with a full force and one other is kept open, though it has been serious ly crippled. The local operators now as- sert that he can do no more.
 The operators have it in their power to end the strike within a week by rec ognizing the United Mine Workers and entering into negotiations with their lead CTS. There is, however, no possibility that there will be such recognition. The attitude assumed everywhere is that the grievances of the men actually employed in a mine will receive attention. but that no attention will be paid to men who come from Indiana to direct the strike here. John Markle, senior part ner In the firm of c. R. Markle x Co.,, voiced the sentiment of many other op- | orators when he said:
 Mitchell will rot in his grave before go to him to consult him about my deal | ings with my own men,"
 Mir. Markle admits that he lost 300 or | 400 men yesterday, and he attributes the defections to a policy of intimidation | adopted by the union men.