The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-02
COAL MINERS DETERMINED
Every Indication That a Strike
viii Be Ordered In Pennsylvania.
Little Prospect That the Operators
VIII Make Any ConresSionS-Inyf-
tatioBs 10 Attend Snion's Confer
ence Rejected-MngnateS Prepared

IiAZLETON, Pa. March 2-Unless con-
cessions are made upon the part Of the
anthracite coal operators or the the Unit
ed Mine Workers within two weeks an
other great Industrial battle viii be begun
in this regi5n on April /. From the pres
ent outlook, ii would seem that this can
only result in one way-the complete
overthrow of the miners organization
which now has I32. go members enrolled
in the anthracite district
Outside of the strength of tsseir union
there is not a single condition now in IA
vor Of the miners which enabled them
TO win their victory last fan. Then they
were aided by the political contest. by
the pressing demand for winter coal and
by the public cry that the operators
should not defend their properties by
force and thus pTectpitate d second Latti-
mer massacre
At present, things are decidedly differ
ent. The United Mine Workers have sent
invitations TO every operator to meet
the miners who VIII gather here in con
ventiOn on March -" AS nearly as can
be determined, but three replies have
been received and these are from men
who conduct small gasheries in the vari-
ouS districts TO supply fuel for local con-
sumption, employing IN an possibly $50
NEIL These operators are in direct daily
contact with their workneIt and hope Dy
appearing favorable 70 the miners plans,
II IS said, to be allowed TO operate their
small mines in case Of a strike.
Al the great operators have consigned
their Invitations 10 the waste basket
= FieTpoTzt Morgan controls the situa-
ti0l ABSOLUTELY Should ne, for some Ted-
son. decide 10 negotiate with the miners
union. the independent operators would
probably follow his example Bur the 10
cal charge q ne MOTE9l n
teTGStS say they are anxious to fight il
out and they probably reflect the desires
Of Morgan and the railroad companies in
teTested
In anticipation Of trouble. the railroad
companies have laid up q great surplus
stock Every large colliery from Scran-
ton 10 HaZleIOn now boasts Of a mountain
OF mined and broken coal ready for ship
ment should active work cease So. I'M
less the railroad men were drawn into
a strike, there would be no fuel famine.
The stockades, built during the last
strike, are stil in place around the com
pany property and The owners say that
ers which have caused fourteen
strikes since ,ast October. The mine
workers now Strike GpOu slight excuse,
and according to two-sc0re superiuten-
dents the situ.e:Hn has become unbear-
able
Among the large operators interviewed
this week and who profess their readiness
for decisive struggle. if one must come.
are: Edward LOOMS, Of the Delaware
and Lackawanna Railroad; Charles Rose,
OF the Delaware and Hudson Railroad:
Thomas Watkins. of the Temple Iron
CompdHs Manager Henderson, OF the
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. @. J.
Lukens- of the Lehigh valley Railroad:
John Jeruyn. Calvin Pardee. F Pdrdee
John AIarkle, and J. 3. Coke
There are many signs that the leaders
of the United Mine Workers apprecia te
the difficulties Of the situation but they
are being forced to a crisis by the men,
fEFT. believe hing
sible for them Fred Dilcher in Scran-
ton, and Benjamin James. at this place
are the only two rational committeeman
drouHd. They both apparently depreeate
the idea Of general strike but say it
is for the operators 10 avoid one They
point out that the miners have offered to
meet the operators this month and cx-
press. the belief that. in taking this step
they have insured public support IN case
the mine owners are defiant