The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-15

To-day, the one hundred and twenty
sixth since the strike began, Is the
day on which the strike is to end, ac-
cording to the prediction made and EN-
phatically reiterated by Senator Platt,
and as far as any one on the outside
can discover there Is no indication
that the prediction is to come true. In
fact there never was a time since the
strike began when there was less
groundwork on which to base hope
of settlement.
The only known movement on at
present TO bring about II settlement is
that of which Governor Stone Is at
the head, and this gives small promise
of accomplishing anything, for it Is
| now almost surety the operators will
brook no political interference, and the
| strikers representatives, according to
| the declaration of District President
Fahey. considered as unsatisfactory"
the conference had with his excellency.
| The chances are that the waiting game
is to continue for some time.
Superintendents of the local COM
panies are counting on many deflec-
tions from the strikers ranks this
week, when it is found that Senator
Platt was just guessing and that alb
so)utely nothing that can possibly be
effective is doing" towards bringing
] the struggle to an end.
ARE NOT WORRYING.
The strike leaders declare there is no
worriment caused them by the pOssi-
bility of a break The men are more
determined than ever to win out at
any cost, the leaders say. and all talk
Of them breaking from the union and
going back to work is nonsense.
1t was reported Saturday and yester-
day that one hundred employees of
local colliery which has started up,
have banded together to return to work
in body this morning. The company
officials refused to affirm the story.
President Mitchell came here Satur-
day and stayed over night at the st.
Charles. AS far as could be learned,
he did not meet any one other than
personal friends. He returned to
Wilkes-B Barre yesterday morning.
District President Nichols did not
return here from Harrisburg but con-
tinued on to Trenton, N j., where he
| addressed big labor meeting yester-
day afternoon.
The Engineering and Mining Journal
OF Saturday had the following:
The strike is still on, with little pros
pect of an immediate settlement. The
only encouraging factor in the situation
is that those officials of the United Mine
Workers who have been keeping the men
in line by promises must now be at the
end of their resources in this respect. The
Civic Federation and Senator Hanna have
accomplished nothing, Senators Quay and
Penrose have apparently found the situ-
alton perpleXing. and Carroll D. Wrghts
| report with that of Attorney General
Knox removed any prospect of congress
or President Roosevelt taking hasty ac-
tion.
There remains but the governor of
Pennsylvania. and he is not likely to
promise much help to Mr.. Mitchell. In
the meantime the $50O.00O weekly relief
fund is not forthcoming. and though the
miners can hold out for weeks, yet the
great majority of them would undoubt-
edly be glad of any kind of an excuse for
returning to work There Is nothing to
indicate that Mr.. Morgan or the presi-
dents of the coal companies will make the
great blunder of weakening at the eev-
enth hour. Their attitude now Is precise
ly what it was in May. Meanwhile coal
is scarcer, and, though the output OF the
washeries is larger. a great number of
people who ordinarily use anthracite will
burn bituminous for domestic purposes
this winter.
DOCKS ARE BARE
At the head of the Lakes the docks are
bare. and as the producing companies are
likely to supply their live trade before
shipping to distant points. Consumers in
the Northwest will burn bitumnous coal,
Ignite and wood this winter. In Chicago
ia hni. 10 ,lin, i,,,,
ance not under contract, and practically
no anthracite to be had at wholesale.
Retail prices at Chicago are $l1a12;
wholesale, about $lOal1.
Along the lower lakes and in Canadian
territory supplies vary at different points,
but are in general very light. The Erie
company is still selling IA little coal at
Buffalo. Along the Atlantic seaboard
there are fair supplies still at some
points but dealers restrict sales and keep
prices up. The situation Is worst about
New York harbor. where retailers, will
sell only by half-ton lots and ask $12al3
per ton, New York dealers owing to the
high price of land. have very small stor-
age yards In proportion to the business
they do and consequently had little coal
on hand when the strike came while the |
cutlery over the use of bituminous in the |
early days of the strike lead to many |
manufacturing concerns and office build |
ings and the elevated railroad buying up |
the coal available. The elevated is now
burning broken, egg and stove i'm its loco |
motives, and is getting coal where it can.
Consumers AT the shoal water ports |
where ice makes early are likely to find |
trouble I'm getting supplies before navi- |
cation closes At Boston the market is |
quiet, with coal selling at $40 and dealers |
cutting down orders. At Narragansett |
Bay points many dealers have coal |
an on bn n In or tyn lac,