The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-06-10
PREDICTED BY THE COAL STRIKE
LEADERS.
MINERS WELL ORGANIZED,
In the POcahontas Fields Two
Thirds of the Miners are out-Tbe
Strikers Quiet and ORDERLY
Seyenty-Five Per cent. of the Men
Expected to Resume Work i'm n
Few Days.

Roanoke, Va, June -7.-According to
advices received by the Norfolk and
Western railway which controls the
output of the Pocahontas coal fields
ten mines closed down in the Pocahon-
tas district today. 1t is estimated that
about 500 men are on strike. Other
mines are crippled and only working
with reduced force. The miners of the
Tug River field which are on the West
Virginia side have struck. Several
thousand men are employed in these
fi-lds- The Norfolk and Western Off
Gals say they do not consider the strike
in their territory to be of a serious ma
ture and expect that the operations
now tied up will resume work within
ten days Coal is being loaded in the
fields today, but the shipments are not
up to the average number of cars.
Mother" Jones. the famous Pennsyl-
vania strike agitator, is on the ground
urging the men to quit work and stay
out until their demands are granted
Officials of the Norfolk and Western
clam that thirty mines in the Pocahon-
tas fields are in operation today with
reduced force. The Clinch Valley and
Thacker fields. they say, are working
as usual.
Bluefield. w. Va. Out of the forty
odd operations in the Pocahontas fields
two-thirds Of the miners are out. Some
operations shut down and some are
working very few men. Nearly all of
the mines here are shipping some coal
to-day. but in most instances it is coal
that was loaded on mine cars yesterday
or before the men came out The min
ers seem much better organized on the
North Fork branch and Summons
Greek than in any other part of the
field. and on these branches there are
practically no men at work.
The agitators are fighting hard to
make it a total shut out in the entire
region, and it is stated by persons IA
miliar with the situation that but few
men will be at work on Tuesday next.
The headquarters of the strikers are at
keystone, and it is reported they are
marching through the field with bands
of music, cheering the striking miners
Roanoke. Va. June il. c. Rawn,
chief engineer of the Pocahontas coal
and coke company, with headquarters
at BramweN. w. Va, arrived here to-
day. When he left the fields last night
there was no demonstration of any kind
among the miners, no buying of guns
or drilling, or anything to show that the
81. n
were leaving the mines with their tools,
vowing that they had quit work. Still
others were buying blasting powder,
and a few were having their tools
sharpened as though they meant to
continue work.
4 special tonight from Blueield, w.
Va. to The Roanoke Times. says that
about so per cent. of the miners in the
Flat Top field went out to-day; seven
ty-five men went out at 6 o'clock at
Pocahontas. and others are expected to
quit tonight. One or two men are
said to have been killed in the Poca-
hontas fields to-day, but beyond the
bare statement that one or two lives
had been lost. no particulars are given.
1t is expected that rs per cent. of those
O.. strike will return to work by the
middle of next week. and but little trou-
bIo is anticipated.
4 special to The Times from Pocahon-
tas tonight says about fifty miners
went out at that place to-day, and that
in the other mines in that field three
fourths of the men are out So far no
disturbances have been reported ana
hundreds of the strikers are leaving the
fields this evening.
.Wilkesbarre. Pa. June '--ihere WAS
absolutely no change in the anthracite
coal miners strike today. Whlcn mas
now rounded out its fourth week. Mill
ers and mine operators had notnlns 10
saw. and altogether it was dull through
out this valley. Here and there, how
ever, men who were on their way TO or
from work were assaulted. but none o.
them were seriously hurt. Considerable
interest was manifested in the strike OF
the WestVirgina soft coal miners,
which was inaugurated to-day. The an
thracite mine workers hope the strike
in that state will eventually have some
good effect in their own struggle. Pres
ident Mitchell. who is directing the soft
coal suspension from here. had moth
ing to give out regarding the West
virginia trouble. He said he had re-
ceiyed only meagre information from
there. and in the absence OF more de-
finite news he preferred not to say any
thing.
,rh- homo Of a mine worker named.