New-York tribune., 1902-05-21
WORKERS DRIVEN AWAY
STRIKERS INVADE GRA,SSE|
ISLAND COLLIERT.
MORE ARMED MEN TO GUARD WORKERS
SCHOOLS FOR MINE BOlS FIRST
DEATH OF STRIKE AN ACCIDENT.
Try TEL-eH,rH To rur Trrrr>E.I

Try TEi;-''HaFH I'd 1HE If'iRiNh-l
Wikesbarre Penn. May 2o-The first vio-
lence since the strike began occurred to-day in
the I.ackawanns district The strikers who yeo-
terdsr met to decide how stop the work at
the Cirassey Island colery of the Delaware and
Hudson Railroad Company appeared in body
his morning after tho union workers
began work and marched upon the colliery,
seven hundred strong. in the same manner that
ne march to fateful Lattmer made on
September 1n. 1897. when the Sheriff's deputies
killed nineteen and wounded forty-eight. The
coal and iron policemen guard too few
in number ia stay the rush of these seven hun
dred and thny did shoot The non-union
workers fed. but not stoned nor attacked
The strikers cheered and oyerW helmed a score
Of laborers in the breaker yards who were
shoVelng coal from large TO small cars. They
TOO. fed
The approaches were SO blocked that District
Superintendent Sarge and number of foremen
from the compan1's nearby mines found it i'm
possible 10 make their way through lines.
end were. forced to retreat down the railroad
tracks with boots. cat calls and Some flying
missiles following them. An Hungarisn woman
j1mred i'm among the forNu1er. snatched a hat
from the head Of one and hurled it into a muddy
pool, yelling wildly as she did Her action
almost preCipitated trouble, and only through
the determined efforts IF some If the strike
leaders was she dragged away ard made 10
keep quiet
While this demonstration going six
armed deputies who had come UP from the
wsshery we're warned not tn approach too near.
end told that they would better go back the
washery. As no company official was present 10
direct their movements. they acted the sug
gestion and retreated to the washery.
The company officials say they are determined
IN 70 and no Strik-
ers say that they are just as determined that
Ii shall not be operated
After stationing pickets, that work
was not resumed the strikers marched away
and disappeared. No arrests have been made.
bat tho company is gathering a force of
coal and iron police and may make effort
10 resume work tomorrow morning under the
protection of these additional armed men, The
strikers viii make another march tomorrow if
necessary.
The important happening since the
strike declaration is the meeting of the joint
executive boards tomorrow in this city, under
the craftsmanship Of President Mitchell. The
board has the power to arrange all strike de-
tails and to determine whether the firemen, n
gineers and pumpmen shall he called out This
will he the crucial question Of the strike. If
allowed to remain work. as they are now.
the strike will drag until side simply
strike. non-inion will be rushed to fill
their places and there Is almost certainty of
conflict with the strikers.
IL is understood that the committees will
AVOID the freinen question. at least for time
and that il will not be settled definitely until
after the present prospect for arbitration de-
Nelops. This may be a week or two There is
opposition in some parts Of the region 10 the
fremen being ordered out. and there is also
ArtTl,s s-.-l,n 4
would obey the order. They have no grievances.
and many of the engineers have signed con-
tracts for year, and do not to break
them There is little doubt however that all
the iremen will respond such an order
State Secretary Mullahy of the Stationary Fire
mems Union says that the union men will strike
soon as ordered.
The shipment Of mules to the farms continues
and in few days all will be taken from the
mines The Delaware Lackawanna and West
ern Company has secured pasturage at Fac
toryville Wyoming County and at Hanover
Luzerne County. The Erie is sending its mules
10 Wayne County. in the region of Lake Ariel
The Delaware and Hudson Company is looking
for pasturage in the neighborhood of Carbon
dale. Five thousand mules used by these
three companies alone The Lehigh Valley the
SOsquehanna, the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre and
the Reading companies are placing the mules
convenient farms This move is an indica-
1iOn than the operators expect a long strike
otherwise they would not go to the expense Of
shipping the mules to such distances. The COM
panies Will repair the stables and do general
repair work about the mines while the strike
is on
Warned by their experience in the strike of
1900. the factory and mill owners steam heat.
gas. traction companies and water plants of
this region have now on hand a stock of coal
which will last most Of them a month six
weeks They quietly stocked up in the several
weeks ;nat the strike threatened and the coal
companies report that there VIII he no great
loss of work because of lack of coal. although.
oddly enough some Of the cOleries short
and may have to use the culm coal to keep up
steam before the strike is over. The operators
Were confident that the strike would be
averted that not until within few days of it's
declaration did they begin TO collect supply.
This retention Of coal at the breakers quickly
exhausted the supply Of the retail dealers. and
a consequence. those who in need Of
coal are the househoders. If it were winter
there would he some trouble. but gas stoves are
being purchased for cooking. and there is no
need Of heat throughout the houses. Several
Of the big concerns. realizing that q strike might
occur st any time. have for year kept on
hand an emergency stock of several hundred
tons
BUTTONS FOR THE STRIKERS.
Father Husse of the Hazleton region, has
designed strike button. which is 10 he worn
by al the strikers I'm his region. and il denotes
not only striker. but total sbstainer. IT
has a blue and white border. and one
viii be given each who takes the pledge
ANY wearer Of the button who violates his oath
viii have the button taken from him. Five
thousand buttons have been ordered as the hrst
instalnent. and there are already many requests
for them. Father Hussie hopes that priests In
other parts of the coal field will adopt the same
plan. He believes IL will a.d greatly in re
straining the men from acts Of violence, ana
will keep them away from the saloons
The first death resulting directly from the
strike occurred this morning the Hillside
Coal and Iron Company's washery at Pttstcn