The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-05-20
COAL STRIKE SITUATION.
MINERS HEADQUARTERS MADE
 AT WILKESBARRE.
of fBituminOus Coal Into Cities Where Anthracite Has Been Used- This May Precipitate General Strike Important Meeting of District Prest- dents to be Held Tomorrow.

Wilkesbarre, Pa., May 19-President Workers of America, arrived here shortly after o'clock tonight and es- tablished strike headquarters at the Hotel Hart. He was met at the station by several of the local leaders, who held a brief conference with him. The national president said tonight that he had no news to give out He added, however, that as far as the miners side of the controversy was concerned the situation had not changed in the least.
 On the run up from Hazleton, MT. Mitchell's attention was called by an Associated Press representative to the fact that the city of Philadelphia had contracted for a supply of bituminous coal to take the place of the anthracite which had been cut off by the railroad companies furnishing it. In reply to a question as to whether the mine workers would attempt to prevent the shipment of soft coal to places where hard coal is used, he said:
 "Considering the proposition in a general way I will say that we do not desire to make any city victim or have any person suffer because Of our quarrel with the coal companies"
 He was pressed for more explicit statement, but refused to go into it any deeper, except that it was a matter which would have to be settled by the three executive boards of the anthracite fields. They will meet here on Wednes- day.
 Judging by the actions of the union during the last strike when efforts were made to stop the shipment of soft coal into anthracite territory it is not un- likely that the miners may take simi- lar action within the next few days.
 Two carloads of foreigners left the Hazleton region to-day. Most of them were booked for New York whence they will sail for thei rnative lands. Some of the foreigners will seek work in the bituminous region
 Scranton, Pa, May 19-At meeting tonight the Retail Grocers' association decided to restrict credit during the pendency of the strike. The wholesalers in the afternoon decided to demand cash payments from the retailers. The companies to-day began swearing in coal and iron police. The commissions of sixty-seven were recorded this morn ing in the court. An attempt will be made tomorrow by the strikers to in- duce the men at the Grassy Island washery of the Delaware and Hudson company to quit work. Trouble is fear ed and the company will have a large force of police on hand.
 Indianapolis, May 19.-W. B. Wilson, secretary and treasurer of the United Mine Workers of America, thinks it probable that a national convention of the miners will be held in Indianapolis, to decide whether or not the entire organiza tion shall take up the fight of the anthracite men.
 The constitution of the mine workers organization provides that a national convention must be called when pe- tition shall be presented by five dis tricts The anthracite men, who are demanded national convention. have three districts to start with. Wilson says the chances are that districts in Michigan and West Virginia, where strike Ire in progress, will sign the petition, in which event President Mitchell would have no alternative but to call a national convention.
 It is also probable that the Kentucky miners and one or two other districts. where there has been more or less trou- ble with the operators for some time. would welcome an opportunity or bringing matters to crisis.
 Those who have followed the nego- tiations between the miners and opera tors in the competitive district-In- diana, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania do not believe that the entire btu- minous field would be involved, even if the anthracite men should succeed in getting a national convention be- cause at the recent national convention in Indianapolis the attempt of the an- thracite miners to involve the bitumin- ous miners in their dispute failed.