Evening star., 1901-07-19
Stationary Firemen Hostile to United
Nine Workers.
STRUGGLE TO CONTROL COAL STRIKE
Situation Grows More Vigorous
From Complications.
SOME RETURN TO WORK

SCRANTON, Pa. July 19.-There is a Sc
rious complication today in the strike of
the stationary fremen. 1t arises from the
order of the executive board of the United
Mine Workers to those firemen who were
enrolled in its membership and who stop
ped work to return to their places and the
determination of officers of the fremen's
organization to keep them away. The
morning opened with a show of new
strength on the part of the strikers They
added several additional mines in the
Lackawanna valley to the list of idle ones.
Among these were three Delaware Lack
awanna~ and Western Railroad Company
mines in West Scranton. one Ontario and
Western railroad working at Priceburg and
one at Archibald, two Delaware and Hud-
son railroad collieries at Olyphant and one
of the Temple Iron Company's mines at
Peckville.
Ffrcmen Return to Work.
. AS an offset to this gain they lost the
Dickson. a Delaware and Hudson mine i'm
Scranton. the Erie and Keystone mines of
the Hillside Coal and Iron Company at
Mayfield controlled by the Erie railroad,
as well as the Glenwood mine at the same
place, the Brisbn mine of the Lackawanna
Company in Scranton and the Old Forge
Collery of the Pennsylvania Coal Company
dl hcOslc, COntrOlleQ DN tle Erie COMPANY.
The striking firemen went back at the Erie
mines, while at the other workings the
men to return were firemen affiliated with
the United Mine Workers.
The situation created by these conditions
intensifies the hostility that is showing
itself among these men as to which ele-
ment shall control. How the United Mine
Workers will deal with this question can
only be answered by the decision of the
conference at HaZleton this afternoon be-
tween the executive officers of districts
Nos. l, and of the organization.
May He Settled Today.
WILKESBARRE. Pa. July 1a.-The
fral outcome of the stationary frcmens
strike will depend upon the action of the
three executive boards of United Mine
Workers which meet at Hazelton this after
noon. If the United Mine Workers should
decide that they are not bound to support
the present strike it will probably collapse
in twenty-four hours. On the other hand,
if strong official support is given the strike
it may last some time. There is no change
in the situation in the Wyoming valley
today.
At the Susquehanna Coal Company's
Office 1t was reported that their colleries
a Nanticoke were in full operation with
United Mine Workers in charge of the
boiler rooms.
1t was with great difficulty that sufi-
cient steam was kept at the Woodward
mine to run the fans, and when the super
intendent asked the engineers, fire bosses
and other employees about the place to go
into the fire room to assist, they refused
and were promptly discharged. The same
thing happened at No. , Delaware and
Hudson mine, where the driver bosses were
asked to fire. They refused and were dis
charged.
Strikers Gain Strength.
READING, Pa, July 19.-The strikers at
the Philadelphia and Reading Company
shops here added to their ranks in an an
expected manner today. Last night the
company brought in thirty-two strangers
to help man the boilermaking and black
smithing departments of the locomotive
shops where $50 mechanics of those two
classes have been en- strike for three
weeks. The recruits mostly foreigners,
were given protection at the hands Of the
companys special police. This morning
they were put to work in the two depart
ments. A committee was sent by the s.rik-
ers to the company offices to have the
strangers taken out. This demand was re-
fused and before 10 am, 115 molders, ma
chinists and others, many of whom do not
belong to the union walked out in a body.
The foreigners were hooted, and were
marched out of the shop to their tempor-
airy quarters on the third floor of the plant.
here they occupy a room about 200 by 40
feet in size, which has been fitted up for
them TO live in.
In a case in the building. it is said, were
stored forty-one Winchester rifles, which
had been used by the coal and iron police
ii is stated, were taken from cases and
stacked in the room occupied by the inn
ported workmen
The strike has assumed a more critical
stage than ever before. The locomotive
shop is now badly crippled.