The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-06-18
COAL MINE STRIKE SPREADS
LARGEST AMERICAN LACE FAC
 TORT SHUTS DOWN,

l "AVSS AES w OFNlhS 1h Hnt
 Mines Are Not Discharged-Persisten
 Rumor That Non-Union M en Win be
 Brought Into the Coal Mines.
 | Wilkesbarre, Pa, June 17-Because
 the general manager would not dis
 charge five girls whose relatives are
 still at work in the mines the Wilkes
 barre Lace Manufacturing company, the | largest in the United States, was cam
 pelled to shut down to-day. Between | 800 and 1000 persons are affected. The
 lace makers and cotton workers are
 strongly organized and have been help
 ing the striking miners in every way | possible. It appears the lace makers | learned that relatives of the girls were working in the mines and the girls were given the alternative of either quitting
 the lace mill or having their relatives leave the collieries. Failing in this the
 cotton workers union requested the discharge of the girls but the manager refused to comply and the employees quit. The general strike situation re- mains unchanged. The miners report
 that more men came out to-day, and the
 coal company officials, on the contrary,
 claimed they are increasing their forces
 around the collieries
 There is a persistent rumor af1oat
 that non-union men will be brought in-
 to the coal fields to mine caol. This
 cannot be done because practically all
 the anthracite miners in the country are located in this region and all are on strike. New man cannot take their places because under the laws of Penn sylvania no man can be employed as a miner without first having obtained a certificate showing that he has had a two years experience at anthracite mining. These certificates are issued by examining boards composed of min- CTS appointed by the president judge of each county in which anthracite coal is produced, The only way the compan- ies can start their collieries is by 8 ! break in the ranks of the strikers. At | present there is no indication of a break. |
 There was a mysterious air about | headquarters all day. President Mitch- | ell was unusually reticent he having l not a word to say regarding either the | anthracite or the West Virginia strike.
 A number of men attacked a coal and | iron policeman in South Wilkesbarre to- night and used him up rather badly. !
 Relief work among the striking mine workers has been started in several sec- tions of the region but to what extent cannot be definitely learned. The num- Der of evictions thus far has been small but it will naturally increase as the strike grows older A large percentage of the nearly 10000 idle men live in houses owned by the coal companies.
 Fairmont, w. Va. June 17.-Justice Fleming decided to-day that the min CTS strike leaders were guilty of volat- ing Judge Mason's injunction and held them in $2O0 bond to answer an indict- ment at the next term of court
 Roanoke Va, June r. - A special from Vivian, w. Va, says the army of which marched down through the coal field last night took up the march to-day for Pocahontas, Va, where they will camp tonight. They left West Vivian several hundred strong. At Bottom Creek a dozen min CTS, who were standing at the com ready to enter the mines, join ad the marchers. At mines all along the line of march "a few joined the narchers and they will likely reach their destination with about 800 men. A detective is riding at their head with i've officers and is holding them in con .rol. At Keystone they were joined by band which seemed to lend much en- husiasm to the crowd. At Coaldale it { S said that a large band of sympathiz- ; ITS is waiting to join them armed with shot guns and revolvers , guard of twenty-five well armed men / g watching this delegation to prevent , lny outbreak. R. l., Morris, a guard, , vas shot at the Empire Coal and Coke tipple last night but not ser ' ously injured The aggressor was e aught to-day. Loading throughout the . field to-day will be about the same as . Colored Masons from all yer the state met at Norfolk to-day to ake up the matter of lending assistance ' o the strikers. q