The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-09
News He Is Receiving, He Says, Is
Favorable, and More Men VIII BE
Out This Week.
SITUATION IN WEST VIRGINIA
SPREAD OF THE STRIKE EXPECTED
AT SEVERAL POINTS.
Men Ordered from Company Houses
Trouble Expected at Davy-The
Virginia Coal Fields.

WILKESBARRE, Pa, June S.-Strike
headquarters of the anthracite coal miners
were very dull to-day and presented de-
serted appearance. There were no mine
workers about the place. excepting Pres
ident Mitchell and his secretary. all others
who are detailed here from various parts of
the coal field having gone 10 their homes to
spend Sunday. Although President Mitchell
is leading a great struggle for a shorter
work day. he is not limiting himself 10 any
prescribed hours of labor. He works late
every night and he was busy all of to-day
in his Office. Most of his time was given
up to-day to receiving reports by messen-
ger or by wire from his men in the field.
He said he had nothing of any Importance
TO make public. his information, he added,
being of a satisfactory nature. Among the
reports sent in were several to the effect
that additional engineers had stopped work
last night and that several fire bosses who
had taken the places of strikers also had
quit work.
At a meeting of engineers at Pittston last
night thirty engineers who had not obeyed
the strike order decided not to go to work
tomorrow. The few union men who are
still at work, Mr. Mitchell says, will go out
during this week. Most OF the general
superintendents of the big coal companies
were seen to-day. but a rule they had
nothing to say on anything bearing on the
strike. one superintendent admitted that
a good many companies are scratching
pretty hard for good, competent men TO
run their engines and pumps. Any number
OF volunteers have come forward, but the
men desired not plentiful
The coal companies have been favored by
long spell of dry weather. Now and then
there has been some rain. but not enough to
do any damage an the way of flooding the
mines. The strikers are wishing for a
heavy fall of rain. They are OF the belief
that most of the lower levels Of the mines
are flling because the companies are short
HANDED. and that the pumps cannot keep
up with the water that is draining into
the workings. A heavy rain. they say will
send "A corTespOndingly heavy volume OF
water into the mines, which would over
whelm many pumps.
President Mitchell was in telephone COM
muncatIOn with National Secretary-treas-
urer W. b. Wilson, of the United Mine
Workers at indianapolis to-day the
situation IN the West Virginia soft-coal
field. where strike was indugurated yes
terday. Mr. Mitchell said there was moth
ing TO be given TO the public at this time
because he had not yet received full par
ticulars on the situation in that region
Mr.. Wilson, ne said. did not know any
more than himself. The national president
also talked over long-distance telephones
with other persons I'm the soft-coal regions
I'm different parts of the West. These con-
versations. he said, related TO general busi-
on either the West Virginia or the Penn
sylvania strike. Tomorrow begins the fifth
week of the suspension OF anthracite coal
mining and a settlement of the dispute
seems to be no nearer than IL was when
the strike began on May II.
The house-to-hOuse canvass of miners
committees in an endeavor 10 bring out
those who have refused TO strike and also
those who have taken the places of strik-
ers is still being vigorously prosecuted
Many of he men who are still working
complain that their houses stoned al
most nightly. These assaults are made
usually between o'clock and midnight.
The method is TO gather a small body of
men and boys. and at signal send a storm
of stones against the dwellings, breaking
window panes and frightening the inmates.
The police department of this city to-day
ordered the removal OF all effigies that have
been strung up since the strike began A
large number had been removed but the
policemen managed to find eighteen OF them
in the city to-day. Twenty of them were
seen in the region above Wilkesbarre as
far as Pittston-
A new method has been found for hold
ing up 10 ridicule those men who refused
TO stop work. At Forty Foot and at Miners
Mills mounds were made in imitation of a
grave and on them were placed pacards
containing this inscription: Death to
scabs. Here lies the remains of -" the
card giving the name of the man held up to
ridiCule.