Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-09-03
BURNING COLLIERIES.

The situation in the Flat Top coal
field is extremely critical, and the skirm-
ish between the strikers and the guards
at the Pocahontas Collieries Company
mines yesterday after the firing of the
mine by the strikers, has greatly enraged
the miners from the fact that several
of their men were severely injured.
Adit. Gen. Baker, who had been in the
Flat Top section for few days looking
over the territory, left at midnight Mon
day night for other fields, informing the
operators before he left, however, that
he thought the presence Of the militia
unnecessary at that time. The out
break of yesterday probably will change
his opinion, and it is thought at Bram-
well that before tonight troops will be
either in the Flat Top region or OH
their way there.
The Pocahontas Collieries Company
had the fire in its mine practically ex-
tinguished last night, but has doubled
its force of guards, as another attack is
feared at any hour. Many shots have
been fired from ambush in the direction
of non-union miners going to and from
work in the Flap Top field.
The Elkhorn region is very quiet, no
violence having been reported from that
section yesterday.
The mine in which the fire was start
ed is known as the Baby mine, and is
the same one in which twenty miners
and a number of officials lost their lives
several months ago, and the same where
200 miners lost their lives dozen years
ago. 1t is the largest on the line of the
Norfolk and Western Railroad, and has
four main entrances. Every entrance is
now being heavily guarded. Mine ofli-
cials expect the Governors of both Vir-
ginia and West Virginia to comply with
their request for troops.
Information reached Roanoke yeste-
day to the effect that on Saturday night
striking miners fired the plant of the
Russell Greek Company, near Virginia
City, in Wise county The tipple, which
was very large building, was totally
DESTROYED, and the engine house and a
number Of other buildings were burned
to the ground. A number of loaded
coal cars were also burned. SO far as
could be learned no arrests haveyet been
made. and there is no clew as to who
fired the plant.
A special from Bluefelds described in
detail the origin of the fire. 1t says:
"The west mine of the Southwes
coIieries at Pocahontas was set on fire
by miscrcants at O'Clock yesterday
morning. They broke the lock on the
door of the Beartown entrance and car
ried in a lot of old lumber to point
about 200 feet from the entrance. This
lumber was fired about 2 yesterday
morning, and when the fire was dis
covered an alarm was given. The flames
had gained considerable heaGway and
the work of extinguishing them was ex-
tremely difficult. All of the men that
could be worked to advantage were en-
listed. There was no loss of life OF
personal injury to any of the employei
as vet heard Of 1t is believed that
some of the strikers set the mine on lre.
This was one of the mines where the eX'
plosion occurred last November, and
great fear is felt that if the flames are
not soon extinguished the accumulation
of cas will cause another explosion. A
late report says that the fire companies
while rushing to the scene of the frt
were shot at several times from ambush
by strikers, but no one was hit. The
party is still in the woods and efforts
will be made to arrest them"