New-York tribune., 1902-08-23
STRIKERS SHOW WEAKNESS
PROSPECT OF RESUMPTION OF Wokh
AT SEVERAL COLLfERlES-bhLihf
THAT MEN WILL RETURN.
Inv rcp.pu To THE TRIBUNE. ]

my TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE
WiIkesbarre Penn, Aug. 22--AlthouSh fIeSi-
dent Mitchell stated yesterday in a telegram 10
heado,.sr,e-s h. e that he would return to-day.
this evening there came from him another tele-
gram saving that he had left Chicago this after
,oon pe js expected TO reach here tomorrow
evening The fact that ne has remained so
long and that his plans have each day been
disarranged by some new matter apparently,
has caused the local leaders to do much guess
ing as TO the cause Of it all. and they have no
hint as yet what it may mean. There are many
r1Inors of settlement, and also that Mr.. Mitchell
will endeavor to see ]. Pierpont Morgan in the
hope of his interfering with the operators. but
the local leaders have no facts regarding either
They say they do not know why President
Mitchell is staying so long but that he is doing
so gives them nope that he will return with
good news.
Noticeable weakness in the ranks of the strik-
ers has caused the operators TO believe that the
end of the strike is not far distant. and they
are now making an effort 10 take full advantage
of the feeling of the by getting what
collieries they can in shape for resumption of
work Their plan is 10 select a few collierles
which can he worked the easiest. and there
concentrate what men they can get. In this
way they hope to gradually break up the strike
The starting of three collieries by the Delaware,
Iackawanna and Western Company, two
by the Delaware and Hudson by the Peo-
pies Company and the successful operation Of
other breakers and washeries have paved the
way. At none Of the places where work was
started have the strikers mana ged to prevent it,
nor have they prevented the force of workers
increasing and the operators believe that work
can Just as successfully be resumed now in the
other districts.
The Philadelphia and Reading. in the Schuyl-
xiii region. which far has operated only its
Brookside colliery. is now 10 endeavor TO start
several others The officials have reported that
the feeling Of the strikers is such that they
believe many be induced TO return to work
as they see the companies are making
a sincere effort to open few of the collieres.
Men have already been obtained to work in sew
eral of the mines at clearing the gangways Of
the debris caused by the long suspension. and
these gangs are being daily increased, and will
ultimately be turned into gangs which will mine
coal.
At other mines which have already been
cleared small gangs of men are quietly cutting
coal. and II is being stored near the foot Of
the shaft, ready for the running Of the breaker
and the resumption of general work. This
latter plan is being followed in a number of the
colIieries throughout the region, where, until
lately, the who applied for work have been
turned off with the statement that as soon as
$50 or 200 applied at any one colliery they would
be taken back The operators have found it a
better plan to take all who apply and put them
to work. gradually increasing the force Mean
while the labor the small force does is not lost,
for the coal is cut, and when the breaker starts
Ii viii prepare il for shipment
At what collieries the preparations for gen.
eral resumption is being made it is difficult TO
learn ii is against the policy of the COM
panies to make known their plans until they are
ripe but the following have in the last few
days been unusually active: The No 10 at
Hazleton. and the Maltby. at Lucerne, of the
1ehigh Valley Coal Company; the No - OF the
Delaware and Hudson. at Plymouth; the Vim
Storch, of the Delaware and Hudson; the Mount
Lookout. of the Emple Coal and Iron Company;
the Mount Pleasant Of the Scranton Coal Com
pany and several others here: the efforts to test
the machinery and to get the collieries in work
ing order have not been so marked.
While the strikers say that there have been
20 desertions from their ranks. Superintendent
Tobey of the Delaware, Lackawanna and West
ern states that all the men employed by that
company old hands. Several of the COM
panies shift men from one portion Of the region
where they are known 10 other portions where
they are not known and most of the men stipu
late that they shall work under such condi-
tions.
The Nay Aug washery of the Nay Aug Coal
Company, a private concern in Dunmore, was
put in operation yesterday Coal is being
washed for local manufacturers only, and not
for export. No disturbances occurred.
Things are quiet in Duryea. and the washery
is working at its full capacity, while no fears OF
trouble are entertained. To-day twenty-five
cars OF coal Were turned out. which means that
at least $50 tons were prepared. While this is
six hundred ton washery. il exceeded its ca
pacity about sixty tons. While there have been
no demonstra tions. and few persons hang
fear that trouble might start at a moments
notice the Sheriff still has three deputies on
guard at the place.