The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-06-20
HERE AND THERE SOME OVERT
ACTS BY THE MINERS.
REMAINS ABOUT THE SAME.
No Duh is Anticipated-At Sim
mons Creek and Goodwill Mine.
in West Virginia Affairs are More
Serious The Anthracite Miners
Still Out, But Everything T.. Quiet.
Companies Call on Sherins for
Protection Neither Side Talks,
But Both Claim ~dvantas


Roanoke. Va. June 16.-According
to advices received by the Norfolk and
Western Railway Company today the
only deviation from the usual quiet that
has prevailed in the P~ccahontas coal
region since the strike was inaugurated
was the parade of several parties of
strikers through the fields. Most of
them were accompanied by bands and
some of the men were armed. These
demonstrations, later in the day, were
checked by the counseling of wiser
heads and the later reports Indicate
that the armed bodies will give up their
guns. No serious trouble is anticipat-
ed. ,
The numerous meetings of the miners
on Sunday and the marching squads
have had the effect of somewhat lessen
ing the number of men who have beer
returning TO work. 1t is not thought
here that the strikers have gained many
recruits and it is known that some of
the men who were on strike last week
have returned to work today. In the
neighborhood of $50 cars of coal were
loaded on Saturday which was a half
holiday. This was a gain of about sew
enty-ive cars over the previous day.
kilograms from the Goa fields this
evening show that the armed marches
have disbanded and laid down their
guns. The Norfolk and Western COM
pany has not yet resorted to the law in
order to avert deeds of violence and
state that they will not do so until
every other means has been exhausted.
A number of miners returning from
the coal fields reached here tonight.
They report a very serious state of af-
fairs aroun Simmons Creek and Good
will mines on the West Virginia side.
They state that about 500 strikers arm
ed with rifles, ~revolvers, ETC., were to-
day marching from that section towards
North Fork and demanding that the
non-union men now at work quit. They
also say that the strikers have taken
charge of the Goodwill n Simmons
Greek mines and have announced their
determination not to allow the workers
to resume tomorrow. They say they
will resist any attempt that may be
made by the mine owners to resume
work.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, June 16.-The sixth
week of the anthracite coal liners
strike began today without q ripple to
disturb the calmneSS of the situation.
Rain fell nearly all day, which helped
TO keep the more han 150, 900 idle men
and boys in doors. Several reports of
assault on workingmen and coal and
iron police were received from different
sections of the region, but no one was
seriously injured. Most of these at
tacks occur under the cover of dark
ness or at starting time in the morning.
1t was expected that today would wit
ness the refusal of a large number of
fire bosses and other mine bosses to go
to work. but the best information OBJ
tainable show that the number of men
who quit was not large.
In fact, several of the mining super
~intendentS in this region assert that
they had more men at work at the en-
gineS and pumps than they had last
week. President Mitchell and other
labor leaders on the contrary claim that
nearly half of the men who were at
work on Saturday refused to go into
the collierieS today. Neither side gave
out any figures.
Casper Clark, of Toledo, O., president
of the international team drivers asso-
citation came in for some attention by
labor leaders today. He submitted to
an interview in which he said his or
ganization would do all it could to help
the striking miners. He said he will
lIlohS IL IIlol Gil ~ 49, o.
to learn the sentiment of his men,
which will help to guide the national
association if the miners should ask the
teamsters for help.
NJ ming was given out at state head
quarters today. President Mitchell
merely said there was no change in
either the anthracite or the West Vir-
ginia strike. The mining superlnten-
dents of the big coal companies and in
dividual operators had nothing new to
report.
Bluefeld. w. Va. June 16.-There are
not as many men at work in the Flat
Top coal region today as on Saturday.
Several parties of a $50 or 200 strikers
paraded the field armed with Winches-
tiers and a great many shots were eX-
changed between them and the guards
at the mines. At the Buckeye opera
ton a party of a hundred strikers. most
of them armed, prevented the men from
going to work. Thirty-eight armed
strikers were met by guards on Coal
dale mountain as they were crossing
Elkhorn tunnel. The rifles were taken
away from them and stored at Coal
dale. This was accomplished through
the assistance Of an agitator.
At the Tug River operation in the
Tug River district last night an effort
was made by thirty strikers to take pos
session Of the mines. A number OF
shots were exchanged by strikers n
guards. The strikers finally We're driv-
e- off. At Norton on the lower Cinch
Valley district, mines are working with
one-fourth their regular force. d
mining companies are calling on the
sheriffs Of the different counties for pro-